Who Should I Start? Michael Gallup or Jordan Watkins

Wednesday, June 11, 10:02 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Michael Gallup (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring strain that has kept him off the field for the first two days of mandatory minicamp this week, a source told The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala. Gallup spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys after they selected him in the third round (81st overall) in 2018 out of Colorado State before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. The 29-year-old then abruptly retired and didn't play at all in 2024. He's making a comeback back in the NFC East, but Gallup is facing an uphill battle for playing time in D.C. behind Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel Sr., Noah Brown (undisclosed), K.J. Osborn and Luke McCaffrey. Gallup's hamstring injury isn't helping his cause in minicamp. He's off the fantasy radar for now.

Friday, June 13, 12:31 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins hasn't been perfect in offseason workouts this spring, but The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that he has stood out in the way that Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) did a year ago. He took a number of snaps with the first-team offense with Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jauan Jennings (calf) sidelined, showcasing his speed and fluidity in routes. Watkins doesn't break stride when catching the ball, which makes him an asset on crossing routes that are such a big part of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. The 23-year-old also has thick legs and a big lower body, which should help him break tackles and pick up yards after the catch. Watkins had nine total touchdowns at Ole Miss in 2024, and while he probably won't get on the field much in his rookie season, he could be an immediate factor on special teams.