Who Should I Start? Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Jalen Coker

Tuesday, December 30, 6:11 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling figures to be heavily targeted again in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday night against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, with DK Metcalf suspended one more game. In Sunday's upset loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17, Valdes-Scantling drew a season-high nine targets, hauling in three of them for a mediocre 21 receiving yards. The 31-year-old veteran pass-catcher has only five catches on 14 targets for 46 yards and one touchdown in his four games since joining Pittsburgh. MVS hasn't really been on the same page as quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and his target share could be affected if Calvin Austin III (hamstring) returns in a must-win Week 18 contest that will decide the winner of the AFC North. At best, Valdes-Scantling will be a deep-league dart throw as a WR5/flex versus Baltimore this weekend.

Tuesday, January 27, 6:18 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker's stats in his first two NFL seasons don't stand out. He has produced 65 catches on 89 targets for 872 yards and five touchdowns in 22 regular-season games. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross has played in exactly 11 games in each of his first two years in the NFL due to injuries. A quad ailment was the reason he didn't debut in 2025 until Week 7. It took Coker a little while to get in the groove, but once he did, he was essentially Carolina's WR2 behind impressive rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan. In the last five games of the regular season, Coker had 19 grabs for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and he stepped up in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams for a 9-134-1 line. If Coker can finally stay healthy in 2026, he has the potential for a Year 3 breakout as the Panthers' WR2.