Who Should I Start? Devaughn Vele or Arian Smith

Wednesday, August 20, 7:13 PM

The New Orleans Saints have acquired wide receiver Devaughn Vele from the Denver Broncos for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round selection. Vele was a seventh-rounder in 2024 who exceeded expectations as a rookie, catching 41 of 55 targets for 475 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. However, the former Utah standout's role in the Denver offense diminished late in the season as Marvin Mims Jr. started receiving more targets. With Mims, Courtland Sutton, and Troy Franklin all returning and rookie third-rounder Pat Bryant coming in this year, the Broncos have decided to move on from Vele for a solid return on investment. Going from Bo Nix to either Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough will be a major downgrade at quarterback for Vele, but he could be a bigger part of a Saints offense that doesn't have much at receiver after Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks.

Saturday, July 26, 10:05 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith "is catching the eye of his teammates and coaches in training camp." The wideout, selected as the No. 110 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, finished his final collegiate season by amassing 817 yards and four touchdowns off 48 receptions. Since his arrival in New York, Smith has received praise because of his work ethic while having no issues "absorbing information." "He takes a lot of stuff in," said fellow wide receiver Josh Reynolds. "He is a good student and he transfers it to the field." Without question, Garrett Wilson is expected to remain the team's most productive receiver. However, it appears the No. 2 spot is up for grabs. While Smith may not see consistent playing time early on in the 2025 campaign, that could change if he continues to impress throughout training camp and during the season. Granted, Smith doesn't have any value in most redraft formats at the moment, but he's worth grabbing later in rookie drafts by those who can afford to be patient.