Who Should I Start? Malik Washington or Arian Smith

Thursday, October 30, 10:01 AM

Wide receiver Malik Washington of the Miami Dolphins is a risky option, but one with some upside when his team plays host to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The matchup is a good one for Washington, who will see a Ravens defense that ranks 27th against fantasy receivers and has struggled to defend the pass. The diminutive receiver has seen at least five targets in six of Miami's eight games, but averages a lowly 3.5 yards per target due to a high percentage of work near the line of scrimmage. Receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back De'Von Achane are huge parts of the Miami passing game, leaving Washington as the third option, but he did catch his first touchdown of the season last week. He's a WR5 option, but has some streaming and deep-league appeal in a game that could be high scoring.

Saturday, October 25, 4:22 AM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith should again see a substantial uptick in playing time when his team squares off with the hosting Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. The rookie played a season-high in snap share (92%) last weekend, with fellow wideout Garrett Wilson (knee) tending to injury. However, he failed to net positive yardage on 1-of-3 receiving. Smith will get another chance to make an impact this Sunday, although it's currently difficult to trust any of the Jets' skill position players with the offense failing to perform. Furthermore, head coach Aaron Glenn's refusal to name a starting quarterback muddies the situation further, adding an extra variable. With Wilson set to miss another game, and Josh Reynolds (hip) questionable with an injury of his own, Smith will have a chance to lead New York's WR corps if both are inactive. Even still, he's nothing more than a long shot with New York's offense looking woefully outmatched.