Who Should I Start? Jalen Coker or Jayden Higgins

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.

Sunday, January 18, 10:09 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins caught six of his 10 targets for 59 yards during Sunday's Divisional Round loss against the New England Patriots. Higgins took on a larger role with Nico Collins (concussion) sidelined, and it resulted in him leading the team in both catches and receiving yards. The Iowa State product put together a strong rookie campaign, catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns through 17 regular-season games. He added another 14 catches and 98 yards in the playoffs. Heading into next year, Higgins will continue to face competition for targets from Nico Collins and Jaylin Noel. Christian Kirk is expected to depart in free agency, but Tank Dell (knee) should take his place on offense and will create additional competition. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Houston, but Higgins will have a chance to emerge as the No. 2 target behind Collins.