Who Should I Start? Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Rashee Rice

Sunday, January 5, 8:21 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught four passes for nine yards in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams. Smith-Njigba was invisible in a game in which quarterback Geno Smith threw four touchdown passes. What's worse, JSN had a chance to break wide receiver Tyler Lockett's single-season team receptions record. He fell one reception short of breaking the record. Overall, Smith-Njigba had a great season. He will finish with 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 100 receptions. Fantasy managers should be ecstatic about Smith-Njigba heading into next season. He is clearly Smith's No. 1 target, and he has displayed that he has the talent to be a high-end producer for fantasy. While his Week 18 was disappointing, the future is bright for JSN.

Wednesday, June 4, 2:46 PM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) was a full participant in Wednesday's OTA practice session, according to team reporter Sam McDowell. The 25-year-old is recovering from a major knee injury that limited him to just four games a season ago, so his status early in the offseason is promising. In Rice's three fully healthy games last year, he racked up 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He was an early contender for the WR1 overall in PPR formats, so he could be one of this year's best values in fantasy football drafts. That said, there are still legal troubles following him for a handful of off-the-field incidents last offseason, so fantasy managers should monitor that situation moving forward. If he plays a full 16- or 17-game season in 2025, a WR1 finish is in the range of outcomes.