Who Should I Start? Laquon Treadwell or Ricky Pearsall

Sunday, August 24, 7:46 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Laquon Treadwell caught all six of his targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in a 41-14 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. Treadwell got the start and played throughout the first half, doing most of his damage on a 59-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings is looking to survive final cuts after not appearing in any regular-season games in 2024 but he would not have a significant role on the Colts' offense even if he makes the team.

Sunday, February 15, 4:31 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is trending up ahead of the NFL offseason. Fellow Niners receiver Jauan Jennings is headed for free agency, and given that his relationship with the team is rocky, it seems likely that he'll sign somewhere else. If Jennings does leave, and Brandon Aiyuk also departs as expected, that will open the door for Pearsall to step into the No. 1 receiver role. He showed the ability to handle a top role at times in 2025, but injuries prevented fantasy managers from being able to fully evaluate him. He ultimately finished his second pro season with 36 catches, 528 yards, and zero touchdowns across nine games. Because of his injury history, it might be tough for the 49ers to trust Pearsall as their No. 1 receiver. We wouldn't be surprised to see them go out and grab a top pass-catcher via trade or free agency, leaving Pearsall in the No. 2 role once again. He can absolutely still offer upside in fantasy football, though. The 49ers have a very capable offense, so Pearsall will be able to turn any workload into fantasy points. He ranks as a fringe top-36 fantasy receiver for 2026 and would jump into the top 24 if the 49ers don't bring in any competition for him.