Who Should I Start? Jauan Jennings or Ja'Marr Chase

Friday, February 13, 7:58 AM

Across 15 games in 2025, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings recorded 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 targets. With 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) sidelined for the entirety of 2025 by a knee injury, Jennings emerged as the team's WR1. The 28-year-old is now set to hit unrestricted free agency, but 49ers' general manager John Lynch recently expressed public interest in signing Jennings to a new contract. If Jennings does indeed re-sign with San Francisco, he could see an even greater role in the team's passing game in 2026. San Francisco lost star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) to a torn Achilles in the NFC Wild Card Round in early January, which means Kittle could miss a sizable chunk of the 2026 season. Additionally, 49ers WR2 Ricky Pearsall has had major difficulty staying on the field to this point in his NFL career, playing in just 20 games across his first two professional seasons. Jennings may not carry elite fantasy upside, but he's solidified himself as a reliable producer over the last two seasons in San Francisco.

Sunday, February 22, 4:21 AM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had another strong season in 2025. While he wasn't able to replicate his WR1 finish from 2024, he still had a big year with 125 catches, 1,412 yards, and eight touchdowns across 16 games. He was the WR4 in PPR leagues, extending his streak to five consecutive finishes within the top 12. It was impressive to see Chase thrive even without Joe Burrow throwing him passes for the whole season. He spent plenty of games with Joe Flacco and Jake Browning, which limited his upside on a week-by-week basis. That partial-season quarterback downgrade is likely why Chase only scored eight touchdowns, relative to his 17 from the year before. Burrow's health is never a guarantee, but if the quarterback can stay healthy for most of 2026, Chase and fellow receiver Tee Higgins should both benefit. He's still a top-three receiver with overall WR1 upside in both redraft and dynasty leagues. If there's ever a time to get him at a slight discount in dynasty trades, it might be now.