Who Should I Start? Mack Hollins or Arian Smith

Wednesday, August 6, 7:46 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has been receiving reps with the first-team offense since returning from the active/physically unable to perform list, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. New England signed Hollins to a two-year contract this past offseason, and he appears to be in line for a starting role. Hollins turns 32 years old in September, and the Patriots will be his sixth team in eight NFL seasons. In 17 games (13 starts) for the Buffalo Bills in 2024, Hollins recorded 31 catches for 378 yards and five touchdowns. Third-year wide receiver Kayshon Boutte could be Hollins' main threat to playing time alongside New England's top two wideouts, Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas.

Saturday, July 26, 10:05 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith "is catching the eye of his teammates and coaches in training camp." The wideout, selected as the No. 110 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, finished his final collegiate season by amassing 817 yards and four touchdowns off 48 receptions. Since his arrival in New York, Smith has received praise because of his work ethic while having no issues "absorbing information." "He takes a lot of stuff in," said fellow wide receiver Josh Reynolds. "He is a good student and he transfers it to the field." Without question, Garrett Wilson is expected to remain the team's most productive receiver. However, it appears the No. 2 spot is up for grabs. While Smith may not see consistent playing time early on in the 2025 campaign, that could change if he continues to impress throughout training camp and during the season. Granted, Smith doesn't have any value in most redraft formats at the moment, but he's worth grabbing later in rookie drafts by those who can afford to be patient.