Who Should I Start? Kayshon Boutte or Isaiah Bond

Thursday, January 8, 7:14 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) was added to the injury report on Thursday and was listed as a limited participant in practice due to a hamstring injury. Mid-week additions to the injury report can be a bad sign, but it's unclear if the 23-year-old suffered a new injury in practice on Thursday. Boutte's status on Friday will give us a little more clarity on whether he can play on Sunday night in the Wild-Card tilt against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. If he's active, Boutte should be considered a low-end, low-ceiling WR2 for fantasy football playoff lineups. The Patriots' offense was one of the most efficient units in the NFL this year, but Boutte was outside the top-50 receivers in half-PPR points per game with 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. If Boutte is limited or out this weekend, it would open the door for both DeMario Douglas and rookie Kyle Williams for more targets behind Stefon Diggs.

Saturday, December 27, 9:31 AM

Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has taken over as the team's WR2, even though the Week 16 box score against the Buffalo Bills did not show it, and is likely to continue his ascension in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' passing attack struggled to get anything going against the Buffalo Bills last week. However, the team tried to get Bond involved via a trick play for 21 yards on the Browns' opening drive. The young rookie appears to be part of the Browns' offensive game plan, averaging 45% snaps and 58% route participation since Week 12, edging out fellow wide receiver Cedric Tillman for playtime. Bond offers big-play potential and, with rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the starter, he is carving out his niche as a vertical threat. Sanders' preferred target, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin), popped up on the injury report Friday, and he is pushing to play on Sunday. However, if Fannin Jr. does miss time, Bond would be in line to benefit from additional looks against a tough Steelers' pass defense. Bond is an extremely risky start with big-play potential and is best suited for DFS dart throws or desperate deep-league managers looking for volatility.