Who Should I Start? DK Metcalf or Terry McLaurin

Tuesday, September 16, 12:25 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf found the end zone in Week 2 against his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, but was otherwise quiet, finishing with three receptions for 20 yards. While Metcalf leads Pittsburgh in targets, he currently ranks second in both receptions and receiving yards. It's clear he is the team's top wideout, but his 6.5 opportunities per game fall short of true WR1 usage. The silver lining is that the Steelers' defensive struggles are forcing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to pass on over 63% of plays. With so much turnover on offense this season, it may just take time for Metcalf and the rest of the unit to fully click, but the upside is tangible. The 27-year-old is a strong buy-low candidate in fantasy football and should be in starting lineups this week against the New England Patriots, who have surrendered the second-most fantasy points to receivers through two games.

Wednesday, September 10, 4:01 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was slow out of the gate in Week 1 against the Giants, catching two of his four targets for 27 yards. A slow start to the season could have been somewhat expected for McLaurin after limited practice time amidst his contract negotiations. The talk of a slow start could have been mitigated if he and Jayden Daniels were able to connect on a deep shot where McLaurin had his man beat badly on a double move. With the new acquisition, Deebo Samuel Sr. making his team debut, play caller Kliff Kingsbury made an emphasis to get Samuel involved, and he has established a good connection with Daniels after McLaurin missed a lot of time in training camp. A positive, at least for McLaurin, is that he did not face any restrictions regarding his snap count and routes. The star receiver started slow last season as he built rapport with Daniels, and should be expected to bounce back against an exploitable Green Bay secondary. McLaurin has faced the Packers three times in his career and has put up strong numbers, catching 16 of 27 targets for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He should be viewed as a mid-range WR2 with upside in a projected high-scoring Week 2 matchup against the Packers.