Who Should I Start? Matthew Golden or Tetairoa McMillan

Tuesday, September 23, 4:20 PM

It has been a slow burn for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden, as his first three games in the NFL have drawn mixed reviews from fantasy managers who drafted him in the middle rounds. Through three games, Golden has a combined eight targets, six receptions, and 68 receiving yards, with most of that coming in his best game to date in Week 3, where he caught four balls for 52 yards. He ran routes on 84 percent of quarterback Jordan Love's dropbacks and earned 22 percent of the first-read targets as well. To say Golden has been a disappointment is fair, but his role is growing. Golden could keep his ramp-up going in a great matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, but we need to remember that Golden has a shockingly low fantasy floor. That said, Golden is an upside flex play for fantasy managers in Week 4 in the hopes that the downfield work and the Cowboys' porous defense converge to result in Golden's breakout game.

Thursday, September 25, 2:13 PM

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (calf) returned to practice on Thursday after sitting out Wednesday, a positive sign for his availability in Sunday's matchup with the New England Patriots. With Xavier Legette (hamstring) still sidelined, McMillan is positioned to handle a large share of the passing volume in Week 4. The 2024 second-round pick has been productive early, posting 216 yards through three games while emerging as Bryce Young's most reliable option. Although he's yet to find the end zone, that could change this week against a Patriots defense that has already surrendered five passing touchdowns. Fantasy managers should start McMillan as a WR2, especially in deeper leagues, as he brings both a solid target floor and intriguing upside in a game where Carolina could lean heavily on him.