Who Should I Start? John Metchie III or Isaiah Williams
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 19.3 | 0.2 |
John Metchie III News
Friday, August 7, 9:00 AM
Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III, who is with his fourth different NFL team in 2026 in a little more than 11 months, had a 19-yard rush and a 36-yard kick return in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. With rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye suggests that Metchie has a real shot to compete for the WR3 role this year in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The 26-year-old's primary competition will be Xavier Legette, a former first-rounder who has disappointed in his first two years in the NFL. If Metchie makes more noise in training camp and the preseason, he could have a role in the slot with the Panthers, although it wouldn't generate enough volume for the former second-rounder from Alabama to be much more than a bench stash in deeper redraft formats. In 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in 2025, Metchie had career highs with 33 catches, 274 yards, and two touchdowns on 48 targets.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 6.2 | 0.0 |
Isaiah Williams News
Sunday, August 16, 7:38 AM
The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that New York Jets wide receiver Isaiah Williams "appears to have overtaken" rookie first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. as the team's starting slot receiver. Williams has had a "stellar camp." Cooper's after-the-catch abilities are better suited for a game atmosphere than practice, which has allowed Williams to surpass him this summer. Rosenblatt adds that the Jets would like their first-round pick to make an impact, so Cooper will most likely continue to get chances to make noise behind Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell in 2026. A former undrafted WR out of Illinois, Williams had 26 catches on 36 targets for 193 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 games (two starts) with New York last year. Williams will also play a role as a return man on special teams, but he could be doing enough in camp to steal valuable targets away from Cooper as the WR3 for the Jets. The 25-year-old's versatility is the best thing going for him. Despite his strong camp to this point, Williams is merely a name to monitor in most fantasy football leagues in 2026.
John Metchie III vs. Isaiah Williams
Still trying to decide between Metchie III and Williams? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that John Metchie III is projected to score 4.9 points this week while Isaiah Williams is projected to score 1.5 points.
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