Who Should I Start? Marquise Brown or Michael Pittman Jr.

Saturday, January 4, 12:32 PM

It will be hard to trust Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown in fantasy lineups in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday in Denver against the division-rival Denver Broncos, mainly because of the fact that quarterback Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is being rested for the playoffs. Additionally, Hollywood will be facing a top-five defense on the road in a hostile environment while working with backup QB Carson Wentz. Brown will be playing in just his third game of the year after recovering from a shoulder injury that he suffered in the preseason that required surgery. In his two games played, Hollywood has nine catches on 15 targets for 91 yards and no touchdowns. With the Chiefs having nothing to play for with the top seed in the AFC already locked up, Brown could also be at risk of not playing the entire game. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a flex play.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.