Who Should I Start? Jayden Reed or Tetairoa McMillan

Thursday, January 8, 10:23 AM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was held without a catch in Week 18's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, playing on just 16% of snaps. Reed dealt with injuries all season, from a foot fracture in training camp to a broken collarbone in Week 2. Reed finished his third season, playing seven games and averaging career lows in every major statistical category. Reed has a chance to right his wrongs in the Wild Card round against the Chicago Bears, but it could be challenging with slot cornerback Kyler Gordon possibly being activated off injured reserve. If the Packers want to win this game against the NFC North champions, they will need to run the ball, which could limit Reed's opportunities in the passing game. The third-year receiver is a low-end WR2 this week and is very risky given his regular-season struggles.

Wednesday, January 7, 9:45 AM

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a fantastic rookie NFL season, with 1,014 receiving yards and 70 receptions on 122 targets. He also scored seven touchdowns and finished as the WR15 on the season. McMillan clearly established himself as the alpha wide receiver for the Panthers over Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. McMillan's inconsistencies in 2025 were largely due to third-year quarterback Bryce Young, who was very inconsistent throughout the season. Additionally, for those playing in playoff fantasy leagues, according to Novig, the Panthers have the worst odds (+6150) to win the NFC and are viewed as a guaranteed one-and-done in the playoffs after winning the NFC South with a sub-.500 record at 8-9. Now, this is the NFL, and anything can happen, but it may be smart to stay away from any Panthers players, even McMillan, who is clearly the best fantasy asset to own on this team. That being said, the matchup for him in the Wild Card round against the Los Angeles Rams is a good one, as the Rams have been vulnerable to the wide receiver position in the second half of the season. McMillan should have a good game in the first round.