Who Should I Start? Jordan Whittington or Isaiah Bond

Tuesday, January 6, 6:54 PM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington (knee) was listed as a non-participant on Tuesday's estimated injury report, according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. Whittington suffered a knee injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, and he was reportedly set for an MRI exam early this week. It suggests that the 25-year-old's knee injury could be serious enough to sideline him from the Wild-Card playoff matchup on Saturday versus the Carolina Panthers. The good news is that the Rams have veteran Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams (hamstring) fully expected to return this weekend for the start of the postseason. Even when active, Whittington isn't a realistic fantasy WR. He had a total of just 18 catches during the regular season for 171 yards and no touchdowns.

Saturday, December 27, 9:31 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has taken over as the team's WR2, even though the Week 16 box score against the Buffalo Bills did not show it, and is likely to continue his ascension in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' passing attack struggled to get anything going against the Buffalo Bills last week. However, the team tried to get Bond involved via a trick play for 21 yards on the Browns' opening drive. The young rookie appears to be part of the Browns' offensive game plan, averaging 45% snaps and 58% route participation since Week 12, edging out fellow wide receiver Cedric Tillman for playtime. Bond offers big-play potential and, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the starter, he is carving out his niche as a vertical threat. Sanders' preferred target, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), popped up on the injury report Friday, and he is pushing to play on Sunday. However, if Fannin Jr. does miss time, Bond would be in line to benefit from additional looks against a tough Steelers' pass defense. Bond is an extremely risky start with big-play potential and is best suited for DFS dart throws or desperate deep-league managers looking for volatility.