Who Should I Start? Jaylin Lane or Zachariah Branch

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
3.2 0.6 0.0 1.2 14.8 0.1

Jaylin Lane News

Jaylin Lane Has Value in Deep Leagues Going into his Sophomore Season

Wednesday, February 25, 10:36 AM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane ended his rookie season on Injured Reserve due to an ankle injury, but flashed promise at times during the 2025 season. The young receiver out of Virginia Tech played behind veteran wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. for the majority of his debut season, tallying just 225 yards on 16 catches. However, Deebo is set to hit free agency in March, which opens the door for Lane to compete for the team's second option at wide receiver. Lane was primarily an intermediate-to-deep threat who averaged 14.7 air yards per target over his 15 games played, and is an intriguing option for deep-league fantasy managers looking for volatility in the late rounds. For dynasty managers, Lane remains a good stash player with upside on a promising offense.

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
4.4 0.0 0.0 1.7 20.7 0.1

Zachariah Branch News

Zachariah Branch is "Always Open"

Friday, July 31, 9:17 AM

Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch received praise from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during training camp on Friday, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. "You see him, he's usually open," Tagovailoa said. The 22-year-old third-rounder out of the University of Georgia was also a standout during organized team activities in the spring, with Tagovailoa saying back then that the young pass-catcher reminded him of former Dolphins teammate Jaylen Waddle. That's pretty high praise. Branch could also have a path to immediate fantasy relevance in 2026 in his first year in the NFL, as none of Atlanta's WR spots are locked up besides Drake London as the unquestioned WR1. Branch will primarily be competing with former first-rounder Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus for the WR2 role this summer. The small slot receiver could face durability concerns in the NFL, but his speed could make up for it. Branch will most likely go undrafted in most single-year fantasy formats, but he has the skills and opportunity to quickly emerge as a waiver-wire priority in Atlanta. RotoBaller has Branch ranked as the WR80 going into 2026.

Jaylin Lane vs. Zachariah Branch

Still trying to decide between Lane and Branch? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaylin Lane is projected to score 3.2 points this week while Zachariah Branch is projected to score 4.4 points.