Who Should I Start? Jordan Whittington or Jaylin Noel

Tuesday, August 5, 8:58 PM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington flashed as a rookie in 2024 when Puka Nacua went down with an injury. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer writes that Whittington is a "tough, strong special-teamer, and has shown an ability to separate in camp." The Rams' top two receivers will be Nacua and veteran Davante Adams, but Whittington is battling for the WR3 role this summer, with Demarcus Robinson and Tut Atwell being his primary competition. The 24-year-old former sixth-rounder was also a standout at last year's camp, only to catch 22 of 28 targets for 293 yards and no touchdowns in 15 regular-season games (three starts). However, he did have 62 or more yards in each of the three games he had over 30 offensive snaps. Whittington is one to watch for now in standard-sized fantasy leagues, but he could quickly become a priority waiver addition if one of Nacua or Adams gets injured.

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.