Who Should I Start? DeAndre Hopkins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Saturday, November 23, 2:49 AM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. Hopkins had limited success in last week's 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The veteran receiver reeled in three catches for 29 yards in the team's first loss of the season. Hopkins will be in a more favorable matchup this week against the Panthers, who rank 12th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. The Panthers defense is much more beatable than their fantasy points allowed would suggest since most teams do not need to pass very much against them. Hopkins should be capable of producing a great fantasy performance in this week's matchup. The 32-year-old is ranked WR23 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week, making him a low-end WR2/WR3 option against the Panthers. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting Hopkins in this matchup despite his inconsistent usage.

Friday, November 22, 7:17 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in a great position to continue his ascending breakout in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals. This may come as a surprise, but Smith-Njigba is actually the PPR WR10 in fantasy and he has already had his bye. Smith-Njigba has been relatively inconsistent this season, however, his last month of football has been pretty strong. The Cardinals' defense is much improved in 2024 but still imperfect. They are No. 17 against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. With fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf likely to be healthier in Week 12 than he was in his return in Week 11, Smith-Njigba could take a hit in targets. Even so, he has clearly earned the trust of quarterback Geno Smith. Most importantly, Smith has been looking Smith-Njigba's way far more than wide receiver Tyler Lockett on important downs which was not the case early in the season. This should be a high-scoring game with plenty of opportunities, and Smith-Njigba should absolutely be in your lineup.