Who Should I Start? Dontayvion Wicks or Jaylin Noel

Sunday, January 12, 9:36 PM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks was consistently relied upon during the Packers' 22-10 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wild Card Weekend. Wicks was the top remaining receiver following injuries to Romeo Doubs (concussion) and Jayden Reed (shoulder) in the second half. Earning a team-high six targets on the afternoon, Wicks could only bring in two of those targets for 39 yards. He had an opportunity for a deep shot early but Jordan Love's throw ultimately was underthrown and the Eagles' Darius Slay made the interception early in the second quarter. Wicks' season was a bit of a rollercoaster with drops and inconsistent playing time, but he still led the Packers in targets (75) in 2024 to go along with 39 catches, 415 yards, and five touchdowns. For fantasy purposes, Wicks should be a late-round upside wide receiver.

Friday, May 9, 3:52 PM

Per the team's transaction logs, the Houston Texans have signed third-round wide receiver Jaylin Noel to a four-year, $6.46 million deal. Noel was the No. 79 overall pick and the second of two Iowa State wideouts selected by the Texans, joining second-rounder and fellow Cyclone Jayden Higgins. With the news that WR Tank Dell (knee) will likely miss the 2025 season, the door is open for both pass catchers to compete for snaps and impact the field. Veteran wideout Christian Kirk does pose a threat and significant target competition. Particularly for Noel, who profiles more like Kirk, considering he operated out of the slot in college. However, the rookie bolsters much more juice than the veteran (4.39 40-yard dash) and should eventually make his way to the starting roster. He caught 80 balls for 1,194 yards last season (eight TDs) and is also a seasoned returner.