Who Should I Start? Jalen Coker or Luther Burden III

Monday, September 29, 6:07 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (quadriceps) is still week-to-week with a serious quadriceps injury that has kept him out for the first four weeks of the season, according to David Newton of ESPN. Coker opened the year on Injured Reserve. The 23-year-old is now eligible to come off IR for the Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins, but it doesn't sound like that is going to happen. In fact, he might not even be a lock for Week 6. Once Carolina opens Coker's practice window, they'll have 21 days to officially activate him to the active roster. The Panthers could use some help in the passing game behind rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, as veteran Hunter Renfrow hasn't done much outside of a pair of touchdowns, and Xavier Legette (hamstring) has missed the last two games. Coker became a big part of the team's offense in his rookie year in 2024, so he's worth stashing in an IR spot with his return potentially coming in several weeks.

Saturday, September 27, 12:12 PM

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III flashed big-play ability in Week 3's blowout win over the Cowboys, catching all three of his targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. He also logged a season-high 31% snap share, showing growth in his role. Despite the breakout performance, Burden's overall usage still limits his fantasy relevance. Through three games, he has played just 25% of the snaps, well behind Rome Odunze (95%), D.J. Moore (88%), and Olamide Zaccheaus (48%). Burden gets another favorable matchup in Week 4 against a Raiders secondary that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. However, until his role becomes more consistent, Burden remains unstartable in fantasy this week.