Who Should I Start? Jalen Coker or Isaiah Bond

Sunday, January 11, 8:26 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker caught nine of his 12 targets for 134 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's Wild Card loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Coker stepped up as Bryce Young's favorite target as the former No. 1 pick attempted 40 passes in the Panthers' comeback effort. The Panthers' effort, fueled by a career-best game from Coker, was admirable, but it came up short against a Rams team that dropped 14 points early. Coker has a chance to enter the 2026 season as Carolina's No. 2 wide receiver behind Tetairoa McMillan and ahead of Xavier Legette. We can't rule out the possibility of Carolina adding another quality pass-catcher during the offseason, though.

Saturday, December 27, 9:31 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has taken over as the team's WR2, even though the Week 16 box score against the Buffalo Bills did not show it, and is likely to continue his ascension in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' passing attack struggled to get anything going against the Buffalo Bills last week. However, the team tried to get Bond involved via a trick play for 21 yards on the Browns' opening drive. The young rookie appears to be part of the Browns' offensive game plan, averaging 45% snaps and 58% route participation since Week 12, edging out fellow wide receiver Cedric Tillman for playtime. Bond offers big-play potential and, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the starter, he is carving out his niche as a vertical threat. Sanders' preferred target, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), popped up on the injury report Friday, and he is pushing to play on Sunday. However, if Fannin Jr. does miss time, Bond would be in line to benefit from additional looks against a tough Steelers' pass defense. Bond is an extremely risky start with big-play potential and is best suited for DFS dart throws or desperate deep-league managers looking for volatility.