Who Should I Start? Efton Chism III or Skyler Bell

Saturday, October 31, 11:38 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III is expected to take on a substantial role in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins. With teammate A.J. Brown (knee) ruled out and both Mack Hollins (calf) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on injured reserve, Chism enters this weekend as the projected No. 2 wide receiver. He presumably finds himself ahead of Kyle Williams and behind DeMario Douglas in the pecking order, although he'll likely also operate behind tight end Hunter Henry. Still, being the No. 3 target on offense is enough to generate some fantasy appeal, especially for someone who is in such a strong offense like the Patriots and finds themselves playing against a weaker team like the Dolphins. Chism has just one catch over his last two games, but he has played at least 62% of the snaps in each of his last three contests. Presumably, his snap and target share will jump in Week 8, and we'd expect to see him on the field for at least 70% of the offensive plays. Looking specifically at the matchup, we do have some concerns about game script. Offenses have consistently run the ball against Miami this year because the Dolphins have been weak on both sides of the ball, so this may be a better spot for the Patriots' running backs than their receivers. With that said, Chism's recent volume (and projected increase in snaps) should continue to get him on the low-end WR3/flex radar in deeper 14+ team leagues.