Who Should I Start? D.K. Metcalf or Mecole Hardman

Monday, January 8, 5:00 AM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf saw a team-high six targets in Week 18 but had just one catch for 10 yards in Sunday's win, making it his least productive game of the year. Most of the balls that went Metcalf's way were well off-target as quarterback Geno Smith was under intense pressure and hurrying throws for most of the game. Metcalf was denied two additional receptions as well. The first was denied by a pass interference penalty that Seattle accepted to gain a first down and the other was overturned upon official review. It was a disappointing end to the season for Metcalf, who had just two top-12 finishes in 2023. Despite the down year, he still had his third 1,000-yard season in his five-year career, ending with 66 catches for 1,114 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Metcalf, under contract through 2025, will return to Seattle next season as their top receiving threat.

Monday, February 12, 1:28 AM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. played the role of hero for his team in Super Bowl LVIII, reeling in the game-winning touchdown from three yards out to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22. Hardman pulled in each of his three targets for 57 yards in Sunday's big game, also coming down with a 52-yard bomb to get the Chiefs into a goal-to-go during the second quarter. After playing just one snap in the AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens, the 25-year-old stepped up as a deep threat when it mattered most for a Chiefs offense desperate for playmaking down the field all year long. Though he authored quite a feel-good story going from a New York Jets castoff to catching a championship-winning TD, Hardman's Super Bowl heroics are unlikely to make him worth rostering in the majority of 2024 fantasy drafts. Whether it's back with K.C. or another squad, the former Pro Bowl kick returner should find a home next season.