Who Should I Start? DeMario Douglas or Troy Franklin


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
3.2 1.3 0.0 1.1 14.0 0.1

DeMario Douglas News

DeMario Douglas "Has Become Nearly Automatic" Against Man Coverage

Saturday, August 29, 6:59 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas has the type of can't-cover-in-a-phonebooth shiftiness that has allowed him to thrive in each of his four training camps since being selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he has never had the level of surrounding talent he now finds himself with, and Patriots senior reporter Evan Lazar believes his skill set makes a ton of sense for a featured role out of the slot. Douglas has been a mainstay in three-receiver sets throughout camp, and Lazar notes that he has been "nearly automatic" against man coverage. He caught only 31 passes for 447 yards in 2025, but with Stefon Diggs no longer on the roster, the 25-year-old profiles as the team's most prototypical slot receiver, and he could find important chain-moving work in what again projects to be one of the league's highest-scoring offenses. At RotoBaller's WR99, he is not a player likely to be drafted in most 2026 leagues, but with the Patriots opening the NFL season in primetime with a Super Bowl rematch against the Seahawks, a strong start to his season could make Douglas a popular Week 2 waiver wire pickup.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.4 0.7 0.0 1.9 23.2 0.2

Troy Franklin News

Troy Franklin is No Longer a Flashy Fantasy Target

Tuesday, August 25, 7:50 PM

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin fell down the depth chart this past offseason after the team traded for Jaylen Waddle from Miami. Not only did Franklin slip to No. 3 in the wide receiver pecking order, but he hasn't exactly made a compelling case for more volume. In Week 2 of the preseason, he played 16 snaps but didn't fetch a single target. Last year, he was the WR31 in PPR leagues with 709 yards and six touchdowns, but he might have trouble eclipsing those same numbers in his new role behind both Waddle and Courtland Sutton. The good news for Franklin is that his quarterback and former college teammate, Bo Nix (ankle), is back from injury, but we're still not very confident in the 23-year-old receiver for fantasy purposes as long as Waddle and Sutton are healthy. As it stands, Franklin is the WR102 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings for 2026.


DeMario Douglas vs. Troy Franklin

Still trying to decide between Douglas and Franklin? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that DeMario Douglas is projected to score 3.2 points this week while Troy Franklin is projected to score 5.4 points.