Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Michael Pittman Jr.

Monday, January 6, 8:39 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen was fairly uninvolved in the team's 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 18. The former Los Angeles Charger finished his final game of his first season with the Bears, catching three passes for 25 yards. This was Allen's second straight game with 25 receiving yards and his eighth game of the year with fewer than 40 receiving yards. The 32-year-old receiver was firmly the second-option in the receiving game behind D.J. Moore, with Allen finishing his season with 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven scores across 15 games. The former California receiver may even enter 2025 as the third option in the receiving game and maybe a decent depth piece for fantasy next season.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.