Who Should I Start? Jermaine Burton or Jaylin Noel

Saturday, August 23, 5:37 PM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (knee) exited Saturday's loss to the Colts. He did not return. The wideout injured his knee during the Bengals' preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and didn't play in the Monday Night Football clash with the Washington Commanders. Burton managed to suit up for the preseason finale, although he caught only one of his four targets for 16 yards before his premature departure. Head coach Zac Taylor couldn't provide an update while speaking after the game, so fantasy managers should consider him as day-to-day. However, Burton's fantasy outlook doesn't look promising even if he gets a positive update about his knee, especially since he's expected to be at least the No. 4 receiver on the depth chart behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas. If anything, he'll get most of his work on special teams.

Sunday, August 24, 3:49 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel finished his preseason with a quiet stat line of three catches for 18 yards and no touchdowns. Despite the limited production, the rookie third-round pick from Iowa State has garnered significant praise from quarterback C.J. Stroud, who told beat writer Jared Koch that the young wideout "looks great" and is "making plays out here every day." While Noel currently sits behind veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk on the depth chart, Kirk is entering his eighth season and is coming off an injury. Given that his Iowa State teammate, Jayden Higgins, appears to have earned a starting role, Noel could also see the field a fair amount this season. Noel is a solid late-round fantasy flier, especially for managers who believe Kirk may be on the downslope of his career.