Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Josh Palmer

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.

Thursday, January 9, 4:04 PM

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer (foot) has been ruled out for Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans. Palmer sat out last weekend with the same injury and will now miss his second-straight game. Palmer could not practice all week, which suggests he may have trouble suiting up next weekend if the Chargers were to defeat the Texans on Saturday afternoon. Over his previous four games, Palmer has seen six targets per game and averaged 42.5 yards per game. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston (thigh/illness) is also listed as questionable, which could leave rookie Ladd McConkey as the lone pass catcher in the wide receiver room available against a struggling Houston secondary that has allowed the 11th-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.