Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Khalil Shakir

Tuesday, September 2, 5:01 PM

Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (groin) was not listed on Philadelphia's Tuesday injury report and will likely be set to play Week 1. Smith is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he accumulated 68 catches for 833 yards and eight touchdowns in just 13 games, once again cementing himself as one of the top number-two receivers in the league. Philly opens the season against the Cowboys, a familiar matchup for Smith as he enters his fifth season in the NFC East. He was boom-or-bust against Dallas last year, tallying just 14 yards in his first face-off then following that up with 120 yards and two touchdowns in their second meeting. With an offense as explosive as Philly's, Smith is always in the running for a good amount of looks going his way. He's a high-end WR2 going into Thursday.

Friday, September 5, 1:27 PM

After the departure of Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir took over as the Buffalo Bills' No. 1 wide receiver in 2024. The slot standout led the team in catches (76), targets (100), and yards (821) while finishing with four touchdowns over 15 games last year. Shakir is the favorite to serve as quarterback Josh Allen's top target again this season, which begins Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The 6-foot, 190-pounder took on Baltimore twice last year and combined for 10 grabs on 13 targets, 129 yards, and no TDs, though an ankle injury cut his first meeting with the Ravens short. More recently, Shakir dealt with a high-ankle sprain throughout August, but he has been a full go in practice since Wednesday and should play a prominent role on Sunday. Baltimore has a strong secondary on paper, and both a lack of TDs (seven in three years) and a lack of usage in two-WR sets could continue to limit Shakir's upside. Nevertheless, Shakir is a sure-handed pass catcher who totaled six-plus receptions 10 times last season (including all three playoff games), and Allen figures to look in his direction often on Sunday.