Who Should I Start? Hunter Renfrow or Alec Pierce

Friday, May 2, 12:30 PM

New Carolina Panthers wide receiver Hunter Renfrow didn't play at all in 2024 after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders while being treated for ulcerative colitis, which caused him to drop from 185 pounds to 150 pounds. Renfrow had a stretch of seven straight days with a fever of 103 degrees, and the 29-year-old wondered if he'd ever play football again after disappointing seasons in both 2022 and 2023. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 by catching a career-high 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns but took a month off after the Pro Bowl because he felt "kind of tired." Renfrow signed a two-year, $32 million deal the next offseason, right before he started feeling really bad. The good news is he's back up to 185 pounds and will try to provide receiving depth in Carolina behind Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen and rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan in 2025.

Sunday, January 5, 8:34 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce did his usual thing on Sunday, catching a deep 40-yard touchdown pass on the team's opening drive and adding another 17-yard catch in the 26-23 win over the Jaguars. Despite only 37 receptions on the season, the 24-year-old finishes as the Colts' receiving leader with 824 yards and seven touchdowns. With blazing speed, he led the league in average depth of target (aDOT) which helped him rack up the yardage. The former second-round draft pick will likely fill a similar role in 2025 but, unless he can garner additional targets, it's hard to envision outpacing this season's production. Nevertheless, he should be worthy of at least a bench spot in next year's drafts, as he can be a viable (yet volatile) fill-in when the bye weeks hit.