Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Ricky Pearsall

Monday, February 10, 12:31 AM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught four of his five targets for 69 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The 26-year-old epitomized consistency over the last month, catching exactly four passes in each of his four playoff games. At times, Smith has looked more productive than A.J. Brown, and he got the edge over his teammate on Sunday by pacing all Eagles receivers in catches and yards. Although Smith himself had some inconsistent moments throughout the regular season, there is no denying that he is a talented player in an incredibly potent offense. Even as he loses some opportunities to Brown, Saquon Barkley, and Jalen Hurts, there is clearly a path for Smith to finish as a mid-range WR2 in 2025 fantasy football.

Thursday, May 29, 6:04 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury and likely won't return to practice until training camp at the end of July, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. It doesn't sound like it's a serious injury for Pearsall, the but Niners won't take any chances with last year's first-rounder after he also dealt with hammy issues going into his rookie season in 2024. The 24-year-old pass-catcher then suffered a gunshot wound to his chest and didn't make his NFL debut until Week 7. He's expected to have a key role in the offense in his sophomore season with Deebo Samuel Sr. no longer in town and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, but Pearsall is going to lose valuable reps this offseason to gain chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy. Pearsall could still be ready for Week 1, but this news doesn't do anything to dispel the notion that Pearsall is injury-prone.