Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel or Drake London

Wednesday, May 1, 2:04 PM

The San Francisco 49ers were engaged in trade talks involving wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel leading up to the draft, but the team elected not to trade either of their star receivers, with all signs pointing toward both being on the 2024 roster. Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the assumption was that he'd be the odd man out after the team paid Samuel and other star players. Samuel still has two years left on the deal he signed before the 2022 season. San Fran has been to at least the NFC Championship game in four of the last five seasons, and losing Aiyuk or Samuel would almost certainly make the team worse in 2024. The 49ers can afford to keep both this year, but an Aiyuk extension would likely reduce his $14.124 million salary cap number for 2024. Samuel's fantasy value would have likely taken a hit with a move out of the Bay Area.

Sunday, January 7, 9:37 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London continued his inconsistent campaign during Sunday's regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints. The second-year wideout hauled in four of his nine targets for 41 yards in the loss. This was a perfect example of how the 2023 season has gone for London. The young wideout shows he has the skills to be an impactful player, but the below average performances by his quarterbacks continues to hold him back. London finishes the season with 69 receptions for 905 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The hope is that his value will go up once the Falcons get an upgrade at the quarterback spot. For now, London should be treated as a WR3 heading into next season.