Who Should I Start? KaVontae Turpin or Jalen Coker

Monday, December 29, 11:55 PM

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver/kick returner KaVontae Turpin caught just one pass in last Thursday's Christmas Day win over the Washington Commanders, but it was a big one in the 30-23 victory in D.C. Turpin's one catch was an 86-yard touchdown hookup with quarterback Dak Prescott in the second quarter. The 29-year-old speedy receiver also returned five kickoffs on the day for 115 yards. The one catch for Turpin was a season-low, but his 86 receiving yards were a season-high in Week 17. Turpin now has 26 receptions on the year for 396 yards and two touchdowns on 37 targets in 14 games in his fourth year in the NFL. The former undrafted free agent has only two games in 2025 with more than two receptions, though, so fantasy managers still playing for a championship in Week 18 should consider Turpin a major liability in starting lineups in Sunday's divisional rematch against the New York Giants. Ironically, Turpin's first TD of the year came against the G-Men back on Sept. 14.

Monday, December 29, 7:00 PM

The Carolina Panthers' offense was virtually non-existent in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with quarterback Bryce Young throwing for only 54 yards on the day. Wide receiver Jalen Coker caught both of his targets for only 16 yards, but that was good enough to lead the team. The dud performance broke a string of six straight games in which Coker had at least three receptions. In Weeks 13, 15, and 16, the 24-year-old pass-catcher had a combined 11 receptions on 15 targets for 181 yards and two touchdown grabs as he appeared to be trending towards becoming the No. 2 WR behind rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan. The entire Carolina offense should bounce back this weekend in the Week 18 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the NFC South title and a trip to the postseason on the line. Don't count out Coker being a serviceable WR4/flex option in deeper fantasy football leagues.