Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel Sr. or Jack Bech

Tuesday, June 17, 3:00 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. is slated to play in his first game without a San Francisco 49ers uniform in September after he was acquired by Washington this offseason for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The second-round pick out of South Carolina in 2019 has failed to match his monster 2021 season, when he racked up over 1,700 total yards and 14 touchdowns. In the three seasons following, he has averaged 13.6 games played, 731.3 receiving yards, 197.6 rushing yards, and seven touchdowns. He hasn't been the explosive playmaker we saw early in his career, which has led to many believing he could be well past his prime, thanks to injuries and a lack of staying in shape. However, head coach Dan Quinn is not concerned with his speed or explosiveness. "Somewhere along the way, I'd forgotten until [he was] out here how fast he is," Quinn said. "I can remember one time he just ran by somebody down the field on a deep ball, and I was like, 'Yeah, I forgot about that.' So, it didn't surprise me." He also called Samuel one of the fastest players on the roster. Entering 2025, Samuel has a wide range of outcomes behind No. 1 wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, who is currently seeking a new contract. Samuel is likely to have boom weeks, but he may no longer going to be a consistent and reliable weekly fantasy football producer. That said, a significant bounceback year is also a possibility.

Friday, June 13, 1:15 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie second-round wide receiver Jack Bech has flashed during offseason workouts, but ESPN's Ryan McFadden points out that the majority of his reps have come with the second-team offense. "Dont'e and Jack did their stuff," head coach Pete Carroll said. "The idea is to force those guys to play early, and to do that, you have to ask them to do things they're good at." Dont'e Thornton Jr., the team's fourth-round selection, saw more action with the first-team offense. It's not a great sign for the 23-year-old Bech, but a lot can still happen in training camp this summer. Jakobi Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers are the top two targets in this offense, but there is opportunity beyond that. However, in what should be a much more balanced offensive attack that features a lot of first-round running back Ashton Jeanty, this might be a developmental year for Bech.