Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Michael Penix Jr.
Week 2 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 69.9 | 0.3 |
DeVonta Smith News
Thursday, September 3, 7:30 PM
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith could be headed for a breakout season in 2026. The 27-year-old is poised to handle a significantly larger target share after teammate AJ Brown was traded to the New England Patriots. Smith had a total of nine catches and 136 yards across the two games that Brown missed last year, which likely represents his floor for the upcoming season. He is the undisputed No. 1 target in Philadelphia, offering a high-upside weapon for Jalen Hurts in all parts of the field. Perhaps the biggest question mark is whether Smith will take on a larger role around the goal line. He tallied a career-low four touchdowns last year, but he'll presumably get more goal-line targets following the departure of Brown, who scored seven touchdowns in 2025. As it stands, Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026. He has an ADP of 31.4, which corresponds to the third round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 14th receiver off the board.
Week 2 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5 | 4.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Michael Penix Jr. News
Monday, September 14, 12:00 PM
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) was ruled out for the Week 1 season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that it might be "a bit too early" for Penix to be ready to make his 2026 season debut in Week 2 against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. The Falcons clearly view Penix as their man under center this year, but only when he is fully recovered from the partial ACL tear in his knee that he suffered late in 2025. Tua Tagovailoa (oblique), who was brought in this offseason in free agency as an insurance option for Penix, was slated to start in Week 1 against the Steelers before injuring his oblique in practice last Thursday and eventually being ruled out. Veteran backup Cooper Rush made the start on Sunday and predictably struggled, throwing for 143 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. If Tagovailoa cannot go in Week 2 against Carolina, Rush could be forced into a second straight start for Atlanta. It sounds like a more realistic date for Penix's 2026 season debut could come on Thursday, Sept. 24, at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers.
DeVonta Smith vs. Michael Penix Jr.
Still trying to decide between Smith and Penix Jr.? 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 14.4 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 10.5 points.
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