Who Should I Start? Khalil Shakir or Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Monday, July 28, 5:33 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is looking to take the next step in 2025 after bursting onto the scene in 2024 with 76 catches, 821 receiving yards and four touchdowns during the regular season. Bills beat writer Maddy Glab says that this year, Shakir is looking to be quicker and to find new ways to separate from defensive backs. "First step quickness, always trying to improve on that," Shakir said of what he worked on this offseason. "Speed, just withholding speed for a certain amount of time and that quick burst, as well as separation. Just finding new ways and new releases to get open against man coverage." The 25-year-old had a high target share and plenty of yards after the catch, but the Bills spread the ball around too much to make him anything more than a WR3/flex. It's likely to continue, and his lack of red-zone usage makes Shakir a low-ceiling WR4/flex target.

Wednesday, July 30, 7:11 PM

There have been concerns by fans and pundits about how the Seattle Seahawks will use wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp together when both have done most of their best work as slot receivers. However, per Seattle beat writer John Boyle, Smith-Njigba is "much more than just a slot receiver." Boyle also adds that Kupp is more than just a slot receiver, and they are both more than capable of doing damage from just about any pass-catching position in the offense. Smith-Njigba lined up on Tuesday on the outside in single coverage and proceeded to make a catch for a big gain down the sideline. JSN made some serious noise in 2024 in his second NFL, but that was with Geno Smith at quarterback. Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are gone now, though, so if Smith-Njigba and Kupp can coexist, Smith-Njigba should be worth it as a WR2 target in fantasy.