Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Khalil Shakir

Wednesday, December 31, 3:41 PM

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said that quarterback Geno Smith (ankle) will not play on Sunday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. "I hate closing the door on any opportunity, but it's going to be really hard for him," Carroll said. Smith suffered a serious ankle injury in the Week 17 loss to the New York Giants and won't suit up for a meaningless contest to close out the regular season. With the 35-year-old veteran wrapping up a brutal first year in the desert, backup Kenny Pickett is expected to start this weekend. Aidan O'Connell could also end up splitting time with Pickett against KC. Smith was one of the worst starting QBs in football in 2025, completing 67.4% of his 448 pass attempts for 3,205 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-leading 17 interceptions in 15 starts.

Tuesday, January 6, 2:43 PM

Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir was rested for Buffalo's Week 18 win over the Jets, along with most of the team's starters, officially closing the regular season with 719 receiving yards and four touchdowns. After cracking double-digit fantasy points in four of his first 11 games of the year, he has not hit that mark since a Week 12 loss to the Texans, and he heads into the playoffs having topped 35 receiving yards only once in his final five games. With only one touchdown since Week 9, Shakir is a low-floor, low-ceiling play in fantasy playoff leagues and does not need to be heavily rostered. He is RotoBaller's WR13 in a week with 12 teams in action.