Who Should I Start? Hunter Renfrow or Jakobi Meyers

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.

Friday, May 30, 12:27 PM

The Athletic's Tashan Reed reports that the Las Vegas Raiders are moving their receivers around a lot during voluntary organized team activities. Jakobi Meyers and rookie Jack Bech have lined up frequently at both outside and slot receiver, while Tre Tucker and Dont'e Thornton have mostly been locked in on the outside. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly should be able to get pretty creative with his alignments based on the fact that tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer both have the ability to line up at slot or on the outside. Meyers had the best season of his career in 2024 with 87 catches, 1,027 yards and four touchdowns and is entering the final season of his contract in 2025. The 28-year-old benefitted from a pass-happy offense last year that was often playing from behind. While he gets an upgrade at QB with Geno Smith, the Raiders offense is now expected to be more run-heavy, likely leading to a regression in Meyers' numbers.