Who Should I Start? Curtis Samuel or Mecole Hardman

Wednesday, October 30, 2:31 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (pectoral) missed the Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a pectoral injury and was limited in Wednesday's practice ahead of the Week 9 AFC East matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Samuel was labeled a preseason fantasy football sleeper, but he has caught just 12 of his 18 targets for 92 yards and no touchdowns so far this season. With Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, and Keon Coleman coming on in recent weeks, there's little hope for Samuel to become a legitimate fantasy factor moving forward. The team also acquired Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper ahead of Week 7. Cooper is dealing with a wrist injury and could miss Sunday's game, but either way, Samuel should not be trusted in any starting fantasy football lineups.

Sunday, October 20, 9:55 PM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had one catch for 17 yards, two carries for 38 yards, and a touchdown in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Hardman did not command many targets, but he capitalized on his opportunities with a score on the ground. With fellow wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster sidelined with a hamstring injury in this contest, Hardman had more opportunities to get involved. This matchup marked his second game back from injury, and Hardman's role will likely increase as the season goes on and he gets healthier. Hardman is familiar with Mahomes and the offense, so it shouldn't be long before we see more involvement from him. The Chiefs will take on the Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders are not a cakewalk matchup for wide receivers since they rank ninth in fantasy points allowed, but Kansas City gets their playmakers involved in unique ways, so Hardman could see some volume. Despite scoring in this week's contest, Hardman's role in the offense is undetermined, and he should be viewed as a desperation flex play until we get more information about his usage.