Who Should I Start? Dareke Young or Isaiah Bond

Sunday, August 11, 5:19 AM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young caught three of his four targets for a team-high 44 receiving yards in Saturday's 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The 2022 draftee's catch and target totals also tied for most on the team. He was also involved in Seattle's longest play of the game. Tucked in close to the Seahawks' line, Young was marked only by a linebacker who he easily outran while crossing over the middle. Once open, Sam Howell fired a dart to Young for a gain of 26 yards. Young showed good hands in the game but he is not a viable fantasy option.

Saturday, December 27, 9:31 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has taken over as the team's WR2, even though the Week 16 box score against the Buffalo Bills did not show it, and is likely to continue his ascension in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' passing attack struggled to get anything going against the Buffalo Bills last week. However, the team tried to get Bond involved via a trick play for 21 yards on the Browns' opening drive. The young rookie appears to be part of the Browns' offensive game plan, averaging 45% snaps and 58% route participation since Week 12, edging out fellow wide receiver Cedric Tillman for playtime. Bond offers big-play potential and, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the starter, he is carving out his niche as a vertical threat. Sanders' preferred target, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), popped up on the injury report Friday, and he is pushing to play on Sunday. However, if Fannin Jr. does miss time, Bond would be in line to benefit from additional looks against a tough Steelers' pass defense. Bond is an extremely risky start with big-play potential and is best suited for DFS dart throws or desperate deep-league managers looking for volatility.