Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Rome Odunze

Monday, August 4, 9:06 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is standing out in camp and looking like a "bounce-back" candidate heading into the new season, Zach Berman of PHLY observes. Smith missed four games a season ago, but his fourth year in the NFL was still yet another productive campaign. He hauled in a career-high eight touchdowns while amassing 833 yards on 68 catches (89 targets). Smith's yardage total was the lowest of his career, but he likely would've gone over the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight season had he been healthier. Although Smith is behind A.J. Brown in Philly's receiver pecking order, he's good enough to enter 2025 as RotoBaller's 25th-ranked WR.

Wednesday, August 13, 6:08 PM

Mark Carman of CHGO Sports reports that Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze looks like quarterback Caleb Williams' go-to guy in practice on Wednesday, especially in the red zone. Carman adds that Odunze and Williams continued to work together after practice. There was a lot of disappointment in the Bears offense last year in Williams' and Odunze's first NFL season. Odunze finished with only 54 catches on 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games (12 starts). It wasn't a bad showing, but he was inconsistent for fantasy purposes. The 23-year-old could be in line for a Year 2 breakout with Keenan Allen gone and in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense, with his goal being his first 1,000-yard season and double-digit TDs. That would be amazing for fantasy managers that draft him as a WR3/flex with upside in 2025.