Who Should I Start? Mecole Hardman or Trey Palmer

Tuesday, March 18, 9:06 PM

Free-agent wide receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman (knee) is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Hardman will take his speed to the Packers while contributing both on offense and special teams as a kick returner. The 27-year-old former second-rounder (56th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 out of the University of Georgia caught only 12 of 14 targets for 90 yards and no touchdowns while carrying the ball five times for 62 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games before suffering a knee injury in December that landed him on Injured Reserve. The Packers could use the receiver depth with Christian Watson (knee) likely to miss around half of the 2025 season, but Hardman could struggle for consistent involvement in Green Bay's offense, much like he did in KC, behind Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.

Thursday, July 31, 6:14 PM

Tampa Bay wide receiver Trey Palmer (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury that is holding him out of training camp. Going into his third year in the NFL, Palmer has typically been a depth chart filler on the Bucs, and they just added rookie Emeka Egbuka in the 2025 draft after Jalen McMillan already leaped past him on the depth chart in the 2024 season. Still on his rookie deal, Palmer is signed through the 2026 season and will need all of the reps he can get to compete with the newcomers on the depth chart for future upside. With the massive depth chart in Tampa Bay, Palmer will likely remain off the fantasy radar for now.