Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or DeVonta Smith

Friday, October 31, 4:50 PM

The Minnesota Vikings have struggled immensely in recent weeks, but wide receiver Justin Jefferson remains a clear WR1 with his team set to travel to Detroit in Week 9. Even though Detroit has had the better of the division matchup in recent years, Jefferson has tormented the Lions during his career. In just 10 games against Detroit, Jefferson has more than 1,200 yards, 72 catches, and four touchdowns. Detroit ranks 26th against half-PPR receivers this season, largely because it has surrendered 14 receiving touchdowns in seven games. Notably, Minnesota will bring back starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), but a second-to-last sack rate behind a beaten-up offensive line remains a major concern. The Lions will see the return of starting cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder), but Jefferson still should be starting in every format, as usual.

Thursday, November 6, 3:19 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught 15 of his 20 targets for 267 yards and a touchdown in the two games before the team's Week 9 bye. With fellow wideout A.J. Brown (hamstring) out in the Week 8 win over the New York Giants, Smith led the team in catches (six), targets (nine), and receiving yards (84). The 26-year-old is a must-start regardless in fantasy football lineups, even if Brown can return on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers. But if Brown misses a second straight game, Smith will have WR1 upside in an Eagles passing game that was looking much better before the bye. Through the first nine weeks of the 2025 season, Smith has caught 44 passes for 588 yards and two touchdowns on 55 targets. Keep him locked into your starting lineups this week despite a challenging matchup on the road at Lambeau Field on Monday.