Who Should I Start? Josh Downs or Dontayvion Wicks

Friday, October 16, 12:51 PM

Wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) has essentially operated as the No. 1 wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles with DeVonta Smith (hamstring) missing the past two games with a hamstring injury. In Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wicks saw eight targets, which was the second-most on the team behind tight end Dallas Goedert. Wicks turned those opportunities into five receptions for 63 yards (12.6 yards per catch), but he did not find the end zone. Only Darius Cooper (71 yards on two receptions) had more receiving yards for the Eagles against the Jaguars. Now, Wicks and the Eagles return to Philadelphia for a Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers. Wicks has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and he missed Thursday's practice this week, but he played through it against Jacksonville last week and is expected to play against the Panthers as well. Smith is returning in Week 6, but Wicks should still be involved against Carolina as the No. 2 wideout for the Eagles. The big question mark for Wicks and the wide receivers, though, is how well backup quarterback Tanner McKee will play in place of Jalen Hurts (calf). The Panthers currently allow 230.8 passing yards per game (22nd in the NFL). However, Carolina is one of the stingier teams in the league when it comes to allowing fantasy points to wide receivers. According to Pro Football Reference, the Panthers rank fourth in the NFL, allowing 16.2 fantasy points per game to wideouts. Wicks currently leads the Eagles with 260 receiving yards, and he has scored one touchdown. His 17 receptions rank second on the team, behind Smith's 19, and Wicks is averaging 15.3 yards per reception. He is RotoBaller's No. 41 wide receiver (half-PPR) for Week 6 and is projected to score 7.1 fantasy points. Wicks has flex or possibly WR3 fantasy appeal.