Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Travis Hunter

Wednesday, April 23, 12:27 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) said that his back injury from the 2024 season is in the past and he didn't require surgery on his back. He said he was cleared to play last month and thinks he's done the work necessary to get past the fractured back that he played through last year. In addition to shaky quarterback play and Anthony Richardson eventually being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco, Pittman battled a busted back to finish with only 69 receptions, 808 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 games, which were all the lowest marks of his five-year NFL career since his rookie campaign in 2020 in which he played in only 13 games. The 27-year-old might be better off from a fantasy perspective if Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson this offseason, but either way, fantasy managers are going to be more skeptical of Pittman as a WR2 in 2025.

Monday, May 19, 10:56 PM

SI.com's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way star Travis Hunter looked to take a noticeable step forward in his first OTA practice on Monday after he looked like he was learning to become a full-time receiver during rookie minicamp. Hunter was crisper in his routes, showed consistent hands and was able to make a number of plays in team drills on Monday. There will be a progression to the 22-year-old's game at the NFL level, but it's a good sign that he's already showing improvement, and Shipley writes that Hunter will obviously play a major role in the Jags' offense in 2025 and beyond. Jacksonville appears to prefer to use the second overall pick on offense rather than defense early in his career, but it's still too early to say how much exactly he'll factor in on offense in 2025. The Heisman Trophy winner has the skill to be the No. 2 wideout immediately, but his fantasy value will depend on how much he's also used on defense.