Who Should I Start? Kendrick Bourne or Tyquan Thornton

Saturday, October 25, 6:01 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne will likely be in the team's starting lineup for Week 8 with Ricky Pearsall (knee) declared out. With Pearsall out in Weeks 5 and 6, Bourne exploded for 142 receiving yards in both games. His production cratered in Week 7, however, to two catches for 14 yards on two targets, while Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs, shoulder) earned seven. An increasingly healthy Jennings could remain a focal point on offense, and George Kittle's target share will assuredly grow after being used almost exclusively as a blocker in his return from injured reserve last week. Bourne's rapport with Mac Jones (knee, oblique), who will start again in Week 8, may be for naught with the increasing number of mouths to feed. Bourne projects as a borderline WR3/4 and will be a tough start against a Houston defense that ranks fourth in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.

Friday, October 24, 3:02 PM

Following a four-week stretch that saw him put up nearly 60 yards per game and three scores, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton has fallen off the fantasy radar. He's seen two of his lowest snap counts of the season over the past two weeks, while making only one catch. Rashee Rice, in his first game back from a six-game suspension, was targeted nine times on only 19 pass routes, signaling that he has stepped right back into being the focal point of the team's passing offense, and he'll only continue to see the field more as he plays himself back into shape. What's left of the team's pass work opportunities will be divvied up between Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and emerging rookie Brashard Smith, leaving Thornton on the outside looking in. While his speed will always make him a big-play threat, his occasional spikes will be too rare and difficult to predict to give him any fantasy value moving forward.