Who Should I Start? DJ Moore or Deebo Samuel Sr.

Saturday, January 3, 3:53 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore followed up back-to-back top-seven fantasy performances in Weeks 15 and 16 with a one catch, 25-yard outing in Week 17 that was good enough for WR97 in Half-PPR formats. All of this came after finishing Week 14 with negative yardage. Although he came into Week 17 with an illness that threatened to keep him sidelined, this has been the DJ Moore experience for most of the season, alternating brilliant performances with colossal letdowns. For fantasy managers still competing for a Week 18 championship, Moore is hard to trust, even against Detroit's bottom-three pass defense. Luther Burden III (quad) carries no injury designation into Sunday after being carted off the field at the end of Chicago's Sunday Night loss to the 49ers, and Olamide Zaccheaus (illness) has been a full practice participant after missing the same game with an illness of his own. Moore is RotoBaller's WR26 for the week, but he comes with considerable risk.

Wednesday, December 24, 9:54 AM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. has been held under 50 yards in three straight games and hasn't found the end zone since Week 11. Samuel has exceeded 50 receiving yards only twice over the past nine games. The former San Francisco 49er draws a potential get-right spot on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys, who have struggled to defend the pass. Dallas has allowed the most passing yards per game and the most PPR points per game to wide receivers this season. Washington's pass-catchers could take a hit for fantasy with quarterback Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) uncertain to play after missing consecutive practices to begin the week, opening the door for journeyman Josh Johnson to make his first start since 2021. Samuel currently ranks as RotoBaller's WR29 in PPR leagues in Week 17.