Who Should I Start? Kristian Wilkerson or Brenden Rice

Saturday, August 24, 10:36 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson made a solid impression in the Raiders' preseason finale, snagging three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 24-24 tie to the San Francisco 49ers. While this performance boosts his chances of making the final roster, fantasy managers should temper their expectations. Even if Wilkerson secures a spot, he's likely to be no higher than fifth or sixth on the depth chart. In the Raiders' offense, this translates to minimal regular-season opportunities, barring multiple injuries ahead of him. His preseason touchdown showcases some red-zone potential, but Wilkerson's fantasy relevance will be severely limited with established targets like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers ahead of him. At best, he's a name to remember for deep dynasty leagues or as a potential in-season waiver wire option if injuries decimate the Raiders' receiving corps. For now, Wilkerson remains off the radar in all but the deepest of fantasy formats.

Tuesday, August 27, 7:41 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Tuesday that rookie wide receiver Brenden Rice and safeties Tony Jefferson and JT Woods were among the players that made the final 53-man roster heading into the 2024 regular season. Rice made the final cut after impressive during training camp and the preseason. The 22-year-old son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice was taken in the seventh round of April's NFL draft out of USC. He might be worth stashing in deep dynasty/keeper leagues, but for his rookie season, he'll merely be a depth option for the Bolts behind Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark, rookie Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Simi Fehoko and Derius Davis. Rice excels with his route-running and also plays with a physical style on contested catches down the field. Initially, he might be a red-zone weapon for a new-look Chargers offense in 2024.