Who Should I Start? Jaylen Waddle or Ricky Pearsall


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
12.2 0.8 0.0 4.4 57.8 0.3

Jaylen Waddle News

Jaylen Waddle Not Wearing Leg Sleeve, Looks to be Improving

Saturday, August 8, 8:28 AM

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) is not wearing a sleeve on his leg at training camp practice on Saturday and is running better than he has since his injury earlier this week, according to DNVR Sports' Zac Stevens. The Broncos held Waddle out of practices this week as a precaution after he dealt with muscle tightness. It doesn't appear to be anything significant for fantasy managers to be worried about. We'd be surprised if the Broncos use Waddle in their preseason opener next Friday against the Atlanta Falcons, but the speedy pass-catcher should be ready for the start of his first season in the Mile High City in 2026. After giving up first- and third-round picks for Waddle in the offseason, head coach Sean Payton figures to get him involved heavily as a way for the Broncos' offense to become more explosive through the air. The 27-year-old opened his NFL career with three straight 1,000-yard seasons, and as long as he stays healthy, he could be a lock for a fourth 1,000-yard campaign with the Broncos in 2026. Fantasy managers should target him as a strong WR2 in upcoming drafts, especially in point-per-reception formats.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
9.6 1.1 0.0 3.4 47.6 0.2

Ricky Pearsall News

Ricky Pearsall's Long-Term Future is Very Cloudy

Tuesday, August 4, 12:25 PM

San Francisco 49ers former first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) will have season-ending knee surgery on his PCL, and because surgery for his type of knee injury is extremely rare, it's hard to say whether he'll ever be able to return to his pre-injury form, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Most isolated PCL injuries heal on their own, but Pearsall's did not. Dr. Prem Ramkumar said that surgery for an isolated PCL injury is so rare among pro athletes that there isn't enough data to predict whether Pearsall will return to his pre-injury form next season. Reconstructing a damaged PCL often doesn't provide substantially more stability than allowing the ligament to scar and heal without surgery. The 25-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 from the University of Florida is a full-blown injury risk after just two seasons in the league, in which he played in just 20 games (13 starts). Pearsall was set to be a big part of San Fran's passing game alongside veteran Mike Evans this year, but that's out the window now. He's obviously off the board in redraft leagues in 2026, and fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues don't have a lot of incentive to buy low on Pearsall at this point.


Jaylen Waddle vs. Ricky Pearsall

Still trying to decide between Waddle and Pearsall? 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 12.2 points this week while Ricky Pearsall is projected to score 9.6 points.