Who Should I Start? Darius Slayton or Spencer Rattler

Sunday, January 4, 9:35 AM

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is expected to handle increased volume with Wan'Dale Robinson (ribs) and Theo Johnson (illness) both sidelined against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. Robinson is headed for his first absence of the season, and Johnson has only been inactive one other time. Therefore, we haven't yet seen what Slayton can do as Jaxson Dart's No. 1 target. However, we have seen glimpses of his upside. He caught a touchdown pass in Week 13, handled 10 targets in Week 15, and has played at least 87% of the snaps in two of his last three games. The bigger role comes at a perfect time for Slayton and his managers, as the Cowboys have surrendered the league's most yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Managers should feel comfortable deploying Slayton as a strong WR2 option in fantasy football as he handles a bigger workload and gets a very enticing matchup.

Sunday, January 4, 11:57 AM

New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (right finger) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the wrong direction after missing all three practices this past week. The 25-year-old has been operating as the backup quarterback behind Tyler Shough ever since Week 9. As a result, Shough remains the starter for Sunday's regular-season finale while Jake Haener steps into the backup role. Haener hasn't played an offensive snap this year, but he did complete 18 of 39 pass attempts for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in 2024. Haener and Taysom Hill would be candidates to earn quarterback snaps if Shough leaves the game for any reason.