Who Should I Start? Mecole Hardman or Darius Slayton

Monday, February 12, 1:28 AM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. played the role of hero for his team in Super Bowl LVIII, reeling in the game-winning touchdown from three yards out to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22. Hardman pulled in each of his three targets for 57 yards in Sunday's big game, also coming down with a 52-yard bomb to get the Chiefs into a goal-to-go during the second quarter. After playing just one snap in the AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens, the 25-year-old stepped up as a deep threat when it mattered most for a Chiefs offense desperate for playmaking down the field all year long. Though he authored quite a feel-good story going from a New York Jets castoff to catching a championship-winning TD, Hardman's Super Bowl heroics are unlikely to make him worth rostering in the majority of 2024 fantasy drafts. Whether it's back with K.C. or another squad, the former Pro Bowl kick returner should find a home next season.

Sunday, January 7, 9:01 PM

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton continued his impressive run at the end of the 2023 season, adding five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown to his season-long totals. It's the third straight game in which Slayton has found paydirt. All those touchdowns came from the arm of veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor. With Taylor under center, Slayton became a consistent, dependable fantasy football wide receiver. He finishes the season as the team leader for receiving yards. It's abundantly clear to anyone who has watched a Giants game this season that there's a big need for elite wide receivers. Slayton should be back for Big Blue next season, but he may not maintain his alpha role.