Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Jayden Reed
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.3 | 46.9 | 0.3 |
Michael Pittman Jr. News
Thursday, July 16, 7:39 AM
Pittsburgh Steelers new head coach Mike McCarthy said he views wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. as a "versatile pass-catcher who can run all routes," which is a preference for receivers in McCarthy's offense, according to Chris Harlan of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Live. In his final season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, Pittman played 283 of his 615 snaps in the slot. In his six seasons with the Colts, the 28-year-old former second-rounder out of USC caught 485 passes for 5,254 yards and 25 touchdowns, but he regressed in 2025, finishing with an 80-784-7 line in 17 games. His 784 receiving yards were his fewest since his rookie year in 2020. Pittsburgh made an aggressive move to acquire Pittman from the Colts in a March trade, then signed him to a three-year, $59 million contract to give DK Metcalf some help. Last year, Metcalf led the Steelers with 59 catches on 99 targets, but the team lacked a reliable option to complement him. McCarthy is hoping Pittman is that man. A bounce-back campaign could be coming for Pittman, but with veteran QB Aaron Rodgers in the last season of his storied career, fantasy managers shouldn't just assume that Pittman will bounce back as a reliable weekly fantasy starter. RotoBaller currently has the former Colts wideout ranked as the No. 41 fantasy WR for 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.4 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 3.7 | 43.8 | 0.3 |
Jayden Reed News
Sunday, July 19, 5:50 AM
The talents of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed have never been in question, but a defined role that has rarely seen him outside the slot has limited his fantasy impact through his first three years in the league. Heading into 2026, the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks leave Green Bay with what appears to be a true three-man rotation of Reed, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden. While the latter two both spent more time on the outside than Reed in two-receiver sets in 2025, neither is without their flaws. Watson has never played a full 17-game slate, missing at least seven games in two of his last three seasons, while Golden was held without a touchdown for the entirety of his first regular season. With tight end Tucker Kraft recovering well from the ACL tear that ended his breakout 2025 campaign, the Packers are again expected to heavily deploy multi-tight end sets, which could force the coaching staff's hand regarding Reed's utilization. If he continues in the same role he's held throughout the start of his career, then he will prove to be priced accurately as RotoBaller's WR44, but if he finds his way onto the field in more two-receiver sets, Reed could become one of the biggest bargains in 2026 drafts.
Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Jayden Reed
Still trying to decide between Pittman Jr. and Reed? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Michael Pittman Jr. is projected to score 10.7 points this week while Jayden Reed is projected to score 10.4 points.
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