Who Should I Start? Kristian Wilkerson or Justyn Ross

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.

Wednesday, February 12, 8:45 PM

The Kansas City Chiefs signed wide receivers Justyn Ross, Tyquan Thornton and Jason Brownlee, safety Deon Bush, tight end Baylor Cupp, defensive tackles Siaki Ika and Fabien Lovett, offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, quarterback Chris Oladokun and cornerbacks Darius Rush and Eric Scott to Reserve/Futures deals on Tuesday. Ross and Thornton are the biggest names of the group. Ross, 25, spent the majority of the 2024 season on KC's practice squad and didn't catch his only target while being active for two regular-season games in Weeks 9 and 10. The former undrafted free agent out of Clemson caught six of 11 targets for 53 yards and no touchdowns in 10 games in his rookie season in 2023. Thornton, 24, was a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2022 out of Baylor but was waived in November after catching four of eight targets for 47 yards in six games for New England.