Who Should I Start? John Metchie III or Pat Bryant

Friday, January 2, 11:00 AM

After being acquired by the New York Jets from the Philadelphia Eagles in late October, wide receiver John Metchie III looked like a potential breakout candidate. Across his first three games with New York, the 25-year-old recorded 10 receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 11 targets. However, Metchie III has been unable to maintain his hot start. Over his last five games played, Metchie III has failed to eclipse four catches or 41 receiving yards in a game, nor has he found the end zone. Metchie III's playing time has dropped off slightly as well, as he's played 77% or fewer of the Jets' offensive snaps in two out of the last three weeks. Especially with undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook in line to make his fourth straight start for the Jets in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills, there's little reason to think Metchie III will reverse recent trends. He profiles as a wide receiver for fantasy managers to avoid in the final week of the 2025 regular season.

Friday, January 2, 8:36 PM

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) has been cleared to play ahead of the Week 18 matchup versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Bryant will make his return after being forced to exit during the end of the Week 16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The third-round rookie has been seeing increased reps down the stretch of the season. Over his last four games, Bryant has 17 receptions on 25 targets for 198 receiving yards. The target share has been there, but Bryant isn't doing much in terms of yardage. He figures to continue seeing a significant snap count with the Broncos needing to win this game to lock up the No. 1 seed. The Broncos have a crowded wide receiver group, though, so Bryant can't be trusted as anything more than a touchdown-dependent, WR4/flex.