Who Should I Start? Kyle Philips or Khalil Shakir

Tuesday, February 18, 8:54 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders signed free-agent wide receiver Kyle Philips to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Philips, a former fifth-round selection by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 out of UCLA will head to the AFC West after spending all of the 2024 campaign on the practice squad of the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2022 and 2023, he caught only 23 of 35 targets for 259 yards and no touchdowns in 13 games played (no starts). The 25-year-old pass-catcher also saw time on special teams as a kickoff and punt returner, which will probably be his best path to a roster spot with the Raiders. Philips will be reuniting with his old head coach at UCLA in Chip Kelly, who is now the Raiders' offensive coordinator under new head coach Pete Carroll. Philips's familiarity with Kelly won't guarantee him a roster spot out of training camp, though.

Saturday, December 6, 7:44 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir matched a season low with just one reception for five yards on four targets in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bills opted for a heavy run approach with 51 total carries to 23 pass attempts, and Shakir's production suffered as a result. His four targets tied for the second most on the team, but it was another frustrating performance for his fantasy managers. The 25-year-old now has three games with only one reception after recording zero such games in his breakout 2024 season. Shakir is still the clear top target for the Bills, but their run-heavy offensive approach limits his ceiling. He could have some targets taken away in Week 14 against the Bengals with the potential return of top tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring), who is currently listed as questionable to play for the first time since Week 10. It could be a great spot for Shakir to bounce back against a Bengals defense that has been the worst in the league. He ranks as RotoBaller's WR27 in PPR formats in Week 14.