Who Should I Start? Jaylen Waddle or Calvin Austin III


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
18.7 0.0 0.0 7.3 81.3 0.6

Jaylen Waddle News

Jaylen Waddle Has Volume-Driven Upside Despite Quarterback Change

Thursday, March 12, 9:19 PM

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle finds himself in the middle of an evolving offense, and not in a good way. The Dolphins endured an ugly season of quarterback play from Tua Tagovailoa, and they replaced the former first-round pick with Malik Willis, who flashed upside in Green Bay but will likely start to get figured out by opposing defenses now that he's a full-time starter. Plus, Willis' top trait has been his mobility and physical running style, leaving some questions about his passing. All in all, that's not great news for Waddle. On the bright side, though, the former first-round receiver is headed for significant volume once again. Much like most of the 2025 regular season, Waddle will enter the 2026 season without Tyreek Hill in Miami's receiving room. Waddle is the No. 1 wide receiver in Miami, and between Tutu Atwell and Malik Washington, there's not much competition. Therefore, even though we're not sold on this offense in 2026, Waddle should still have a productive fantasy season while commanding a heavy target share every week. That type of role resulted in a modest stat line of 64 catches, 910 yards, and six touchdowns last season. We wouldn't be surprised to see him push for 75 catches, 1,000 yards, and another six-plus scores in 2026, keeping him in the mix as a mid-to-low WR2 for fantasy football purposes.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.0 0.0 0.0 3.9 44.9 0.3

Calvin Austin III News

Giants Sign Calvin Austin III

Thursday, March 12, 2:51 PM

The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Calvin Austin III to a one-year, $4.5 million contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Austin hit free agency earlier this week upon the expiration of his four-year rookie contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former fourth-round pick entered the 2025 season with high expectations, given his role as the team's No. 2 wide receiver in a potentially pass-heavy offense. That never really came to fruition, though, as Austin finished the year with just 31 catches, 372 yards, and three touchdowns across 14 games. The Giants will rely on him and Darius Slayton to fill a depth role behind superstar wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) next season. Austin is more of a low-floor, high-ceiling receiver, so while he should be rostered in most dynasty and many redraft leagues, he won't be a weekly fantasy starter in 2026.


Jaylen Waddle vs. Calvin Austin III

Still trying to decide between Waddle and Austin III? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaylen Waddle is projected to score 18.7 points this week while Calvin Austin III is projected to score 10.0 points.