Who Should I Start? DeAndre Hopkins or Khalil Shakir

Saturday, January 25, 4:29 AM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins did not have a single catch in the Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans. The veteran receiver was acquired by the Chiefs at the trade deadline and had an immediate impact. Hopkins' involvement dwindled as the season continued, and Xavier Worthy stepped into the WR1 role. The 32-year-old could be relatively uninvolved again versus the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game. Kansas City has centered its winning playoff strategy around running the ball and relying on a few trusted pass catchers. Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy are above Hopkins in the pecking order, which could leave very few opportunities for the veteran receiver. Hopkins should not be started in most playoff leagues and should be viewed as a touchdown-dependent flex play in DFS.

Friday, January 24, 11:03 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is a top fantasy option heading into Sunday's AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs. Shakir has been quite productive through two playoff games, catching 12 of his 13 targets for 128 yards through the air. While his next opponent, the Chiefs, are dominant on defense, they have a glaring weakness when defending slot receivers like Shakir. In fact, Kansas City allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to slot receivers from Weeks 12 through 17. That bodes incredibly well for Shakir, who logged the eighth-most slot snaps among all NFL receivers during the 2024 regular season. The 24-year-old is no stranger to having his way against Kansas City, either. When the Bills hosted the Chiefs back in Week 11, he converted 12 targets (a season-high) into eight receptions for 70 yards. Even without being a major touchdown threat, the third-year receiver is a top fantasy option given his usage within the Bills' offense and a very favorable matchup coming up. Fantasy managers and bettors should be excited about this week's outlook for Shakir, who is a strong candidate to lead the Bills in scrimmage yards.