Who Should I Start? Jaylin Noel or Jimmy Horn Jr.

Tuesday, October 7, 9:59 PM

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel had the best game of his young NFL career in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, recording two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown on three targets. Noel has played a limited role so far this season, logging just five catches for 23 yards and a score on seven targets across five games. Noel has also yet to play more than 31% of the Texans' offensive snaps in any games and currently appears buried on the wide receiver depth chart behind Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Christian Kirk. The 23-year-old Noel has some long-term appeal and could be a stash candidate in deep redraft leagues. Still, in the short term, he's a long shot to provide consistent fantasy production.

Friday, October 3, 3:12 PM

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that rookie wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. will "definitely" be a part of the team's wide receiver rotation, per Joseph Person of The Athletic. Horn Jr. has been a healthy scratch in each of Carolina's first four games but appears poised to make his NFL debut, perhaps in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins. Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (quad) is eligible to return off Injured Reserve this week, but not guaranteed to play, and the team lost veteran wideout David Moore (elbow) to IR after he suffered an elbow injury in Week 4. On the other hand, second-year wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring) looks poised to return in Week 5 after a two-game absence due to a hamstring injury. If Horn Jr. is active for Week 5, he'll likely be battling with Legette and veteran Hunter Renfrow for playing time alongside standout rookie Tetairoa McMillan.