Who Should I Start? Michael Wilson or Jacob Cowing

Sunday, January 4, 9:01 PM

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson caught five of his eight targets for 99 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 18 loss against the Los Angeles Rams. The highlight of his performance was a 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter that temporarily pulled Arizona within one possession. The Cardinals limped to a 3-14 record this season, but Wilson ended up being a league-winner in many fantasy leagues thanks to his incredibly strong second half of the campaign. The 25-year-old eclipsed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, and he ranked as the overall WR2 from Week 11 through the end of the season. On paper, Marvin Harrison Jr. might enter the 2026 season as Arizona's No. 1 receiver. However, based on track record, Wilson has made quite the case to be the Cardinals' top pass-catcher not named Trey McBride. Quarterback uncertainty creates some questions about Wilson's fantasy stock for next year, but there's no denying that he has top-12 upside heading into next summer's drafts.

Monday, January 5, 7:45 PM

The San Francisco 49ers will open the 21-day practice window for wide receiver Jacob Cowing (hamstring) this week, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Cowing will practice with the team on Wednesday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The 24-year-old is getting closer to returning from Injured Reserve, but he could still be unlikely to be activated to play in the Wild-Card playoff game this Sunday against the hosting Philadelphia Eagles. If Cowing does end up playing against the Eagles, he will most likely only have a role on special teams after missing the entire 2025 regular season. The former fourth-round selection in 2024 out of Arizona caught four of his six targets for 80 yards in 15 games last year in his first season in the NFL. Cowing will be a long shot to surface as an option in playoff fantasy formats.