Who Should I Start? Jaylin Lane or Isaiah Bond

Tuesday, December 30, 9:57 PM

Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane (ankle) was placed on Injured Reserve ahead of his team's Week 17 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his 2025 season. A fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Lane flashed upside for brief stretches of his first NFL season but was ultimately unable to carve out a consistent role in the Washington offense when the team had top wideouts Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. healthy. Lane will finish the year with 16 catches for 225 yards on 32 targets across 15 games played. He did not record a reception over his final four games of 2025 and was targeted just four times across his final seven outings. Projecting forward to 2026, Lane profiles as a downfield threat whose ability to provide consistent fantasy production in Washington remains unclear.

Saturday, December 27, 9:31 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has taken over as the team's WR2, even though the Week 16 box score against the Buffalo Bills did not show it, and is likely to continue his ascension in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' passing attack struggled to get anything going against the Buffalo Bills last week. However, the team tried to get Bond involved via a trick play for 21 yards on the Browns' opening drive. The young rookie appears to be part of the Browns' offensive game plan, averaging 45% snaps and 58% route participation since Week 12, edging out fellow wide receiver Cedric Tillman for playtime. Bond offers big-play potential and, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the starter, he is carving out his niche as a vertical threat. Sanders' preferred target, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), popped up on the injury report Friday, and he is pushing to play on Sunday. However, if Fannin Jr. does miss time, Bond would be in line to benefit from additional looks against a tough Steelers' pass defense. Bond is an extremely risky start with big-play potential and is best suited for DFS dart throws or desperate deep-league managers looking for volatility.