Who Should I Start? Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Xavier Restrepo

Saturday, September 13, 3:22 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling saw zero targets on 15 routes run in Week 1. With George Kittle (hamstring) now on injured reserve and Jauan Jennings (shoulder) tagged as questionable for San Francisco's Week 2 matchup against the Saints, it is possible that Valdes-Scantling plays a bigger role on Sunday. Unfortunately, Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) has been ruled out so it will be Mac Jones under center, limiting Valdes-Scantling's upside even if he does see more playing time. MVS does have the ability to stretch the field but Jones' career completion rate on passes of 20 or more air yards is a mere 30%, effectively negating that threat. If it were Purdy running the show, Valdes-Scantling would have more potential but as it is, he has little viability in Week 2.

Monday, September 1, 11:30 PM

Tennessee Titans practice squad wide receiver Xavier Restrepo remains an intriguing stash in deeper dynasty leagues. Although Restrepo didn't make the Titans' 53-man roster, there are still reasons to be optimistic about his future in Tennessee. First of all, he was a priority target for the Titans as they filled out their practice squad, which means that the front office can still envision him making an impact even though he wasn't selected for the initial roster. Additionally, he has a strong rapport with quarterback Cam Ward, as they were teammates in college. Finally, Tennessee's wide receiver depth is incredibly thin, which means there may be opportunities for non-roster players to step up. Tyler Lockett is likely headed for retirement within the next couple of years, neither Bryce Oliver nor Van Jefferson is a major offensive threat, and rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor both have lower draft capital attached to them after being Day 3 picks. Any Titan receiver not named Calvin Ridley could be replaceable, so Restrepo will have chances to leapfrog other players on the depth chart and earn an elevation to the active roster. Of course, once he gets there, he'll still have to produce. However, at the minimum, there's enough to like about his landing spot to justify stashing him in dynasty leagues. The worst-case scenario is that you cut him mid-season, and that's a risk every fantasy manager can afford to take.