Who Should I Start? Michael Pittman Jr. or Tutu Atwell

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.

Monday, January 6, 6:43 AM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell had a team-high eight targets in the Rams' Week 18 loss to the Seahawks, but he only managed to total 37 yards on his five catches. The third-year receiver played 55% of the team's offensive snaps, which was only the third-highest mark at receiver, but he got plenty of attention from backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Atwell finishes the season with new career bests of 42 receptions and 562 yards, although he failed to find the end zone this season. After Sunday's busy game, he will return to his regular role next week with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp available to work with Matthew Stafford in the Wild Card Round against the Vikings.