Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Brandon Aiyuk
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
DeVonta Smith News
Saturday, April 25, 5:40 AM
For the first time since his 2021 rookie year, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is expected to go into a season without three-time Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown lined up opposite him. While Brown's 8.4 vacated targets per game from the past four seasons could create opportunities for a career year from Smith, the first two days of the NFL Draft have completely reshaped Philadelphia's pass-catching depth chart. After acquiring Marquise Brown through free agency and Dontayvion Wicks via trade, the Eagles spent respective first and second-round picks on USC receiver Makai Lemon and Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, both of whom led their teams in targets in 2025. In a year where quarterback Jalen Hurts is being counted on to take a step forward, Philadelphia is likely to see a more even distribution of targets, but given his skillset and time in the system, Smith should still be able to hold off all challengers to continue earning targets at an elite level. After leading the team in all receiving categories as a rookie, Smith's response to the addition of Brown via trade from the Titans was to put up the best season of his career, with 110 receptions for 1,393 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022. At 27 years old, if he can respond similarly to a new challenge in 2026, he would be a steal as RotoBaller's dynasty WR28.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Brandon Aiyuk News
Wednesday, April 29, 12:44 PM
It's been a surprise that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who hasn't played since tearing his ACL in October of 2024, is still with the San Francisco 49ers, with April coming to an end this week. In January, general manager John Lynch said that it was "safe to say" that Aiyuk had played his last snap with the organization. Lynch later said an Aiyuk-related move would come before the new league year started on March 11. In late March, Lynch said he didn't have a date when asked when the 49ers might release Aiyuk, and he also added that "we're in no rush to do that." The 49ers were discussing a trade of Aiyuk in the lead-up to last week's NFL draft, but nothing came to fruition. Lynch seemed to indicate that if Aiyuk wasn't traded during the draft, they might finally release the former first-rounder. The Niners don't appear to be in any rush to do Aiyuk any favors after a lengthy contract dispute in 2024 before his season-ending knee injury that year. Aiyuk then stopped showing up for his rehab last year, at which point the team voided the remaining guarantees on his contract. The Athletic's Matt Barrows thinks the team's first organized team activity practice on May 27 might be an "unofficial marker" for Aiyuk's release. The 28-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2020 out of Arizona State had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but he's coming off a major knee injury, which will make him a huge question mark in 2026 fantasy football leagues. The Commanders appear to be the likeliest landing spot for Aiyuk if he's eventually released, potentially linking up with former college teammate, QB Jayden Daniels.
DeVonta Smith vs. Brandon Aiyuk
Still trying to decide between Smith and Aiyuk? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that DeVonta Smith is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brandon Aiyuk is projected to score 0.0 points.
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