Who Should I Start? Khalil Shakir or Ladd McConkey

Monday, September 15, 3:09 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir was a fantasy non-factor in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, hauling in one of two targets for 12 yards. It was the first time that Shakir received fewer than six targets since Week 5 of last season, ending a 14-game streak (including playoffs). It should be noted that the Bills leaned more on their rushing attack than the pass in an easy victory, so nobody other than running back James Cook put up gaudy numbers. Shakir seldom posts huge production anyway, though he is consistently solid and should see an uptick in targets on Thursday against the Miami Dolphins. Shakir combined for 11 catches on 12 targets last season in two meetings with the Dolphins, whose pass defense has been woeful during an 0-2 start this year.

Tuesday, September 16, 2:00 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught all five of his targets for 48 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in the team's 20-9 win on Monday night. He has been reliable through two weeks but hasn't received a single red-zone target. That limits his touchdown potential and raises some concerns for fantasy managers. In Week 3, McConkey might face Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, though it's unlikely he'll shadow him given Los Angeles' other weapons. McConkey's role stays consistent as a short-to-intermediate option. He's a safe floor play in PPR formats, but managers should temper their scoring expectations at this point in the season.