Who Should I Start? Ja'Marr Chase or Ladd McConkey

Saturday, November 1, 11:51 AM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase entered the Week 8 loss to the New York Jets by catching at least one touchdown in each of his previous three games. While the former LSU Tiger didn't find the end zone in that one, he still had 12 catches for 91 yards. With the Bengals coming off a disappointing loss, they will try to get on track on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) didn't practice on Wednesday, which is not uncommon for older players, before being limited in Thursday's session. However, panic set in for fantasy managers when he didn't practice on Friday and was slapped with a questionable designation for Week 9. Fortunately, there's reason to believe the signal-caller will be out there on Sunday. It appears Flacco and Chase have quickly developed strong on-field chemistry in a short span, so the duo should continue to connect in the meeting with the Bears. If Flacco can't suit up, Jake Browning would be back under center. Although Browning's presence would presumably lower Chase's ceiling, the wideout remains a must-start for obvious reasons.

Friday, October 31, 5:21 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey continued his hot streak, catching six of 10 targets for 88 yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings last Thursday, leading the team in all major receiving categories. He ranks fifth in the league in targets and carries a solid 23.3% target share. He faces a middle-of-the-pack Tennessee Titans pass defense, but McConkey's outlook is boosted by an especially favorable slot matchup against defensive back Roger McCreary, who is allowing an 85.7% catch rate to opponents. While the overall passing volume might be limited due to a run-heavy game script, McConkey's high volume and favorable individual matchup keep his floor high. RotoBaller ranks him at WR13 this week. You can start him with confidence as a high-end WR2, with WR1 upside if he finds the endzone again.