Who Should I Start? Kalif Raymond or Ted Hurst III


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
3.4 1.0 0.0 1.4 15.0 0.1

Kalif Raymond News

Kalif Raymond Making an Impact on Bears' Coaching Staff

Monday, August 24, 11:37 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver/kick returner Kalif Raymond has done nothing but impress his teammates and the coaching staff during training camp this summer, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. "Man, Kalif is amazing," receiver Luther Burden III said. "He's really like a coach out there. He's a great guy on and off the field. You can learn from him. His release package is sick. He's a great guy, and he's out the roof. Kalif is a great leader for the team; he's the guy, man." Raymond has not had more than 300 yards receiving since 2023, but he has established himself as a Hall of Famer in work ethic and vibes, Fishbain writes. "This guy is the most selfless player I've ever been around," head coach Ben Johnson said. Raymond has reunited with Johnson, who was formerly the Lions' passing-game coordinator in 2021, when Raymond had 576 receiving yards and four touchdowns. When Johnson was the offensive coordinator in 2022, Raymond had 616 yards. Raymond has been the recipient of some of the team's most explosive plays this summer after initially being an afterthought signing to compete for the WR3 role behind Burden and Rome Odunze. Speed is what separates the 32-year-old veteran as both a receiver and a kick returner, but barring an injury to Burden or Odunze, Raymond is a hard sell for WR depth in standard 12-team fantasy leagues.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.1 0.4 0.0 1.4 18.9 0.1

Ted Hurst III News

Ted Hurst III Making a Late Push for Redraft Relevance

Thursday, August 27, 9:16 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst III has pushed himself onto the deep-league redraft radar with a strong finish to training camp. The third-round rookie stood out during Tuesday's joint practice with Jacksonville, beating Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter for a 15-yard gain over the middle and continuing a summer in which Baker Mayfield has shown growing trust in him. Head coach Todd Bowles said earlier this month that Mayfield trusts Hurst to be where he needs to be, while Mayfield later praised the rookie's size, speed and ability to win contested catches. Hurst's preseason numbers have been quiet, with two catches for 19 yards on seven targets through two games, but Tampa Bay has repeatedly turned to him while Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson have missed practice time. He also started alongside David Sills V against Kansas City with several regulars sidelined. The path gets much tighter if Egbuka, McMillan, Chris Godwin Jr. and Johnson are all healthy, so Hurst is not a standard-league priority yet. Still, RotoBaller ranks him 11th among rookie wide receivers, and his late-camp rise makes him worth monitoring in deeper redraft formats.


Kalif Raymond vs. Ted Hurst III

Still trying to decide between Raymond and Hurst III? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kalif Raymond is projected to score 3.4 points this week while Ted Hurst III is projected to score 4.1 points.