Who Should I Start? Drew Sample or Jeremy Ruckert

Saturday, September 27, 2:08 PM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample has only three catches this season, with one resulting in a trip to the end zone. The 29-year-old has logged more snaps than Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant (foot) through the first three weeks of the 2025 campaign. However, both have received more attention from quarterbacks Joe Burrow (toe) and Jake Browning. The Bengals offense is a mess, which has been a surprise to most. As a result, it's hard to trust anyone on that side of the ball. Granted, Sample should continue to lead the position in snaps, especially with his abilities as a blocker. Still, while he will likely add a few more scores to his resume before the end of the season, he's not consistent enough to be considered a starting fantasy option in any format in Week 4 versus the Broncos.

Saturday, December 13, 2:41 AM

New York Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert will assume a starting role this Sunday when his team takes on the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road. Ruckert posted his highest snap share of the campaign in Week 14, but only came away with 19 yards on 2-of-3 receiving while teammate Mason Taylor (neck) dealt with an injury. With Taylor ruled out, the former third-round pick will get a chance to lead New York's TE room. However, he'll do so with rookie quarterback Brady Cook under center. Cook will get the starting nod this week, as fellow QBs Tyrod Taylor (groin) and Justin Fields (knee) have both been deemed out with their respective injuries, lowering the fantasy floor for all Jets' skill players. Even with the expected bump in opportunity, Ruckert can be safely avoided by owners looking for a tight end to stream in the first round of the fantasy playoffs.