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
Wednesday, July 29, 11:44 AM
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas is seeing his usage and route tree expanded during training camp compared with recent seasons, according to the Boston Herald. Douglas caught 31 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns across 17 games in 2025, averaging a career-high 14.4 yards per reception. New England already pushed him farther downfield last season, when he averaged a career-high 9.7 air yards per target and tied his career best with four deep receptions. The latest camp usage suggests the Patriots are continuing to explore ways to deploy Douglas beyond a traditional underneath slot role. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs project as the top two receivers, while Douglas is competing with Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and Kyle Williams for snaps in three-receiver sets. The broader route tree improves Douglas' path to staying involved, but his fantasy value will still depend on whether the expanded responsibilities lead to consistent playing time and targets.
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
Friday, July 31, 9:17 AM
Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch received praise from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during training camp on Friday, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. "You see him, he's usually open," Tagovailoa said. The 22-year-old third-rounder out of the University of Georgia was also a standout during organized team activities in the spring, with Tagovailoa saying back then that the young pass-catcher reminded him of former Dolphins teammate Jaylen Waddle. That's pretty high praise. Branch could also have a path to immediate fantasy relevance in 2026 in his first year in the NFL, as none of Atlanta's WR spots are locked up besides Drake London as the unquestioned WR1. Branch will primarily be competing with former first-rounder Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus for the WR2 role this summer. The small slot receiver could face durability concerns in the NFL, but his speed could make up for it. Branch will most likely go undrafted in most single-year fantasy formats, but he has the skills and opportunity to quickly emerge as a waiver-wire priority in Atlanta. RotoBaller has Branch ranked as the WR80 going into 2026.
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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