Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Jaylin Noel


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.5 0.0 0.0 1.7 21.0 0.1

Kendrick Bourne News

Kendrick Bourne Is Mostly a Deep-League Option in 2026

Sunday, August 9, 11:20 AM

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has a defined role heading into 2026, but it may not be enough to matter in most redraft leagues. Bourne caught 37 of 53 targets for 551 yards in 16 games with San Francisco last season and did not score a touchdown. Arizona signed him to a two-year deal in March, and the team's own website has him sliding in as the WR3 behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Trey McBride also sits near the top of the passing game, so Bourne could have trouble seeing enough volume to become a weekly fantasy option. He did average 14.9 yards per catch last year and gives the Cardinals an experienced receiver who can step into a larger role if Harrison or Wilson misses time. For now, though, RotoBaller has Bourne 230th overall and WR88 in half-PPR. That puts him outside the range of players fantasy managers need to prioritize in standard leagues, though he can still make sense as depth in deeper formats.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.3 1.5 0.0 1.6 19.0 0.1

Jaylin Noel News

Texans Actively Looking to Involve Jaylin Noel on Offense

Friday, August 7, 8:44 AM

Now that Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jaylin Noel (finger) has come off the Non-Football Injury list at training camp, head coach DeMeco Ryans said the Texans are actively looking for ways to "get him the ball on offense multiple times a game," according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The 23-year-old former third-rounder from Iowa State wasn't as productive as teammate Jayden Higgins as a rookie, as he caught just 26 passes on 35 targets for 292 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (three starts). However, Noel should have a bigger role in Year 2 in 2026 as he competes with Tank Dell (knee) and Xavier Hutchinson for the WR3 role behind Higgins and Nico Collins. Losing the first two weeks of training camp didn't help Noel's cause, but he has plenty of time to get more involved going into Week 1 of the regular season. How big Noel's role is in his sophomore season will probably depend on how much Dell can do after suffering a devastating knee injury in 2024 and missing all of last year. Right now, Noel is merely a late-round dart throw in deeper fantasy leagues.


Kendrick Bourne vs. Jaylin Noel

Still trying to decide between Bourne and Noel? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kendrick Bourne is projected to score 4.5 points this week while Jaylin Noel is projected to score 4.3 points.