Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Matthew Golden


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
13.4 0.1 0.0 4.8 63.7 0.4

DeVonta Smith News

DeVonta Smith Taking on WR1 Responsibilities in 2026

Saturday, August 29, 8:20 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will occupy a much bigger role this season following the departure of former teammate A.J. Brown via trade. Smith has been a top-20 fantasy receiver in three of his last four seasons, including a finish as the overall WR20 in PPR leagues last year. He was healthy for all 17 games in 2025, catching 77 passes for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns. We're not expecting a major bump in touchdowns since the Eagles like to run the ball around the goal line, but Smith certainly should earn more targets, catches, and yards with Brown gone. Plus, as one of the most talented No. 2 receivers in years past, Smith should have no trouble adapting to the No. 1 role, even though it means he'll be going up against other teams' top cornerbacks. Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, and he currently has an ADP of 32.1 (WR14).


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
9.0 2.7 0.0 3.2 41.8 0.2

Matthew Golden News

Matthew Golden Has a Much Better Setup in Year Two

Sunday, August 23, 10:25 AM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden didn't have much to show for his rookie year until the very end. He caught 29 passes for 361 yards during the regular season, then went for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown against Chicago in the playoffs. Green Bay has cleared out some of the traffic since then. Romeo Doubs left in free agency and Dontayvion Wicks was traded, leaving Golden in the top three with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. The summer has helped his case, too. Golden caught a 57-yard touchdown from Jordan Love on Family Night, missed a couple of practices with a toe issue, then came right back without much trouble. On Friday against Denver, he was out there with the starters and caught a 19-yard pass from Love on fourth-and-inches during the opening touchdown drive. There are still plenty of mouths to feed once Tucker Kraft is included, so Golden isn't guaranteed a huge target jump. The opportunity is a lot cleaner than it was last year, though. RotoBaller has him 113th overall in PPR, and he's looking more interesting as a bench receiver with upside.


DeVonta Smith vs. Matthew Golden

Still trying to decide between Smith and Golden? 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 13.4 points this week while Matthew Golden is projected to score 9.0 points.