Who Should I Start? Luke McCaffrey or Jaylin Noel

Saturday, August 23, 11:41 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey racked up five receptions for 23 yards in a 30-3 loss against Baltimore in the team's final preseason game. McCaffrey rounded out the preseason with his most productive outing, catching multiple balls underneath and generating some yards after the catch. He was also used as a blocker on the punt return team, which speaks to his special-teams value but hardly signals trust in him as an offensive contributor. It hasn't been the most encouraging training camp for the second-year wideout, as he's yet to emerge with star receiver Terry McLaurin not practicing along with Noah Brown. He looks to be firmly behind those two, Deebo Samuel and Jaylin Lane, in the pecking order for consistent routes.

Sunday, August 24, 3:49 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel finished his preseason with a quiet stat line of three catches for 18 yards and no touchdowns. Despite the limited production, the rookie third-round pick from Iowa State has garnered significant praise from quarterback C.J. Stroud, who told beat writer Jared Koch that the young wideout "looks great" and is "making plays out here every day." While Noel currently sits behind veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk on the depth chart, Kirk is entering his eighth season and is coming off an injury. Given that his Iowa State teammate, Jayden Higgins, appears to have earned a starting role, Noel could also see the field a fair amount this season. Noel is a solid late-round fantasy flier, especially for managers who believe Kirk may be on the downslope of his career.