Who Should I Start? Hunter Renfrow or Arian Smith

Monday, September 1, 12:23 PM

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said the team is excited to get wide receiver Hunter Renfrow back and that he will be active for Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Renfrow did not make the initial 53-man roster out of training camp and was released before eventually re-signing with the team after they traded Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings. Carolina also needed more receiver depth after placing Jalen Coker (quadriceps) on Injured Reserve to begin the year. Renfrow is going to start the year on the waiver wire in 12-team fantasy leagues, but he could have an opportunity to open the year in starting three-wide sets next to rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette. The 29-year-old had a 1,000-yard season in 2021 with the Raiders but didn't exceed 400 yards in 2022 and 2023 and was out of the league last year.

Sunday, August 31, 11:01 PM

The New York Jets expect rookie wide receiver Arian Smith to "contribute right away," according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. A fourth-round pick out of Georgia, Smith recorded 48 catches for 817 yards and four touchdowns in his final collegiate season for the Bulldogs. Outside of top wideout Garrett Wilson, the Jets are hurting for talent at the position. Veterans Josh Reynolds and Allen Lazard (shoulder) are penciled in as the team's WR2 and WR3, but Lazard is battling a shoulder injury. If Smith hits his upside as a prospect, he will bring a speed element down the field that the Jets' veteran receivers cannot. The 23-year-old is a name to monitor early in the season as a potential waiver-wire stash.