Who Should I Start? Demarcus Robinson or Michael Pittman Jr.

Saturday, December 21, 12:44 PM

Even though Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (shoulder) has scored a career-high seven touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams this year, he cannot be trusted in starting fantasy lineups in Week 16 on the road against the New York Jets on Sunday. It's pretty impressive that Robinson has seven touchdowns while working behind target hogs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. The 30-year-old has been battling through a shoulder injury of late, which could be part of the reason he's gone without a catch on just two targets in the last two games against the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. In the two previous games, he had four catches on six targets for 64 yards and a touchdown. Robinson should get more involved this weekend in New York, but against a Jets defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest half-PPR points per game to the position, we'd stay away from Robinson this week.

Friday, December 20, 10:52 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was a full participant in practice on Friday. The 27-year-old did not practice on Wednesday, but was back to a full participant the following two sessions to close out the week. The 6-foot-4 wideout has dealt with back issues seemingly all season long, but it has cost him just one week of playing time. The former second-round draft pick has been Anthony Richardson's preferred target in the passing game over the last four weeks since being reinstated as the starting QB, averaging over five catches per contest, albeit for just 60 yards per game. The fifth-year pro hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 6, which happened to be against his Week 16 opponent, the Tennessee Titans. Although he found paydirt in that first meeting, he did so on just three catches for 35 yards. With the Titans allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers and with Richardson completing less than 50% of his passes on the season, expectations for Sunday's divisional showdown should be tempered. While the Colts are 3.5-point favorites in this one, there is a low expected total of 42.5 and Pittman Jr. projects as a WR4 this week, so hopefully fantasy managers have other options.