Who Should I Start? DeMario Douglas or Zachariah Branch
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 20.7 | 0.1 |
Zachariah Branch News
Saturday, August 22, 7:14 PM
Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch hauled in two of three targets for 15 yards in the Falcons' 34-6 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts. Branch played a limited role on Saturday, taking eight of 11 snaps with quarterback Cooper Rush, and saw less playing time than Dylan Drummond (11) and Chris Blair (10). The third-round pick played just one snap with the first-team offense last week against the Denver Broncos. With receivers Drake London, Jahan Dotson, and Olamide Zaccheaus all sitting out against the Colts, Branch could be in a reserve role this season. Currently ranked WR82 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, Branch is unlikely to produce early this season.
DeMario Douglas vs. Zachariah Branch
Still trying to decide between Douglas and Branch? 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 Zachariah Branch is projected to score 4.4 points.
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