Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Christian Kirk

Monday, December 1, 6:50 PM

Los Angeles wide receiver Keenan Allen recorded a modest four catches for 30 yards on five targets in the team's 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Allen matched the team lead in receptions but provided little beyond sustaining drives. Over his last five games, he has only one red-zone target and saw fewer snaps as rookie Tre' Harris received more opportunities with the Chargers dominating on the ground. Justin Herbert's fractured non-throwing hand resulted in a more conservative game script (21 passes versus 43 rushes), further limiting Allen's upside. Heading into Week 14, the Philadelphia Eagles have shown vulnerabilities in back-to-back losses but still rank in the top 10 in pass defense, and Herbert's availability after surgery remains uncertain. If Trey Lance starts, all receivers' outlooks decline, although Allen's reliability might make him the backup's preferred safety valve. Nonetheless, expectations should stay low.

Saturday, November 29, 5:31 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk has started to carve out a role for himself after being sidelined twice earlier in the season with hamstring issues. Kirk snagged his first touchdown of the season in Week 12's big win over Buffalo, and he snagged five of his six targets for 54 yards, his second-best total of the season. Kirk will look to build on that momentum this week in a big AFC South showdown against the Colts, who have been a top-10 matchup for wide receivers this season. Kirk's ceiling also gets a boost from the return of C.J. Stroud, after missing three games with a concussion. Kirk does have upside, but he has only caught 21 passes for 198 yards in his seven games this season, so he also has a low floor. The veteran slot receiver checks in as the WR77 in RotoBaller's Week 13 rankings, meaning he can be left on the bench or waiver wires in most standard-sized formats this week.