Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Ja'Marr Chase

Tuesday, August 27, 10:27 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (ACL) will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, sidelining him for the first four games. Bourne tore his ACL in Week 8 last year, and it's common for such injuries to require nearly a year for full recovery. Despite the setback, the Patriots rewarded Bourne with a new three-year contract in March, reflecting their belief in his future contributions. Last season, he recorded 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns, averaging a career-best 50.8 receiving yards per game. With Bourne out, receivers Ja'Lynn Polk, Demario Douglas, Javon Baker, K.J. Osborn, and Tyquan Thornton will see increased opportunities. This shift will likely lead to more targets for Douglas, Osborn, and Polk in the early part of the 2024 season.

Sunday, September 15, 10:34 PM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had four catches for 35 yards in Sunday's narrow loss to the Chiefs. After nearly sitting out Week 1 against the Pats, the wideout finished with six catches for 62 yards. While that wasn't what fantasy managers were hoping for, it was still better than what he produced in Week 2. The former LSU Tiger hasn't met expectations through the first two weeks of the 2024-25 campaign. However, there's no way to justify keeping him out of the starting lineup when the Bengals meet the Commanders for a Monday Night Football showdown. Hopefully, with the distraction of contract talks now on hold until after the season, he'll turn things around.