Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Khalil Shakir

Friday, December 5, 10:18 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith failed to impress last week against the Bears, finishing with a mediocre five catches for 48 yards on eight targets. He and A.J. Brown both racked up a hefty majority of looks from Jalen Hurts, but while Brown turned those into a dominant showing, Smith fell behind on the stat sheet. Another problem is that Smith has now matched his longest scoreless streak of the season, going three straight games without finding the end zone. In Week 14 he's up against a Chargers defense allowing just 168.3 passing yards per game-good for second-best in the league. Philly already totes a lackluster passing game-averaging 196.3 yards per game-so there may not be enough to go around for Smith and Brown, not to mention the other weapons on the Eagles offense. It's a scary week to rely on him, so Smith should hover around a low-end WR2/FLEX spot versus Los Angeles.

Saturday, December 6, 7:44 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir matched a season low with just one reception for five yards on four targets in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bills opted for a heavy run approach with 51 total carries to 23 pass attempts, and Shakir's production suffered as a result. His four targets tied for the second most on the team, but it was another frustrating performance for his fantasy managers. The 25-year-old now has three games with only one reception after recording zero such games in his breakout 2024 season. Shakir is still the clear top target for the Bills, but their run-heavy offensive approach limits his ceiling. He could have some targets taken away in Week 14 against the Bengals with the potential return of top tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring), who is currently listed as questionable to play for the first time since Week 10. It could be a great spot for Shakir to bounce back against a Bengals defense that has been the worst in the league. He ranks as RotoBaller's WR27 in PPR formats in Week 14.