Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Ja'Marr Chase

Friday, July 24, 8:24 PM

Brooks Kubena of The Athletic writes that fans and fantasy managers should "expect career highs in targets and catches to be shattered" for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. After years of playing a supporting role in Philadelphia alongside wideout A.J. Brown, Smith is entering 2026 as the Eagles' clear WR1 following the team's offseason trade of Brown to the New England Patriots. Smith was a productive player in 2025, recording 77 catches for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns on 113 targets across 17 games. However, his status as the team's WR2 and Philadelphia's conservative, run-heavy offense both played a factor in his WR20 finish. The Eagles have a new offensive coordinator in place for 2026 in Sean Mannion, who is looking to open up the team's passing game. All in all, Smith appears poised for a career year in 2026 and profiles as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 for fantasy managers.