Who Should I Start? Diontae Johnson or Ladd McConkey

Tuesday, October 28, 5:33 PM

Free-agent wide receiver Diontae Johnson is working out with the New York Giants on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Johnson was with the Cleveland Browns during training camp and the preseason, but he was cut before the start of the regular season and hasn't joined a team since. The 29-year-old former third-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 out of Toledo spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans last year, catching a combined 33 passes on 67 targets for 375 yards and three touchdowns. The vast majority of his production came in Carolina, as he caught just three passes for 18 yards in five games with Baltimore and Houston to close out the year. It's been a notable fall for Johnson over the last year-plus, and if he were to sign with the G-Men, he'd merely be battling for a chance to join the active 53-man roster as receiver depth.

Friday, November 7, 6:02 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey remains a crucial part of the passing attack, recording a 23.5% season-long target share and catching four of six targets for 56 yards in a close win against the Tennessee Titans last week. This week, he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers' league-worst passing defense, which ranks 30th in yards allowed per game, although they recently defeated the red-hot Indianapolis Colts. While he will likely draw the attention of Steelers' cornerback Jalen Ramsey, McConkey's exceptional ability to create separation should keep his target volume high. He has become Justin Herbert's most trusted receiver over the last few games and is expected to receive plenty of targets against a recently surging defense. Although his WR1 ceiling is often touchdown-dependent due to the many mouths to feed in Los Angeles, his high floor makes him a dependable high-end WR2 or low-end WR1 option that should be started in all leagues.