Who Should I Start? Nick Westbrook-Ikhine or John Metchie III
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 15.5 | 0.1 |
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine News
Monday, August 10, 7:28 PM
The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has "come alive" in the team's recent training camp practices and "continues to strengthen his case" to be Indy's third starting receiver over veterans Ashton Dulin and Laquon Treadwell. Dulin and Treadwell have made some plays, but they have not been as consistent as Westbrook-Ikhine. The 29-year-old "always seems to be in the right place at the right time," and he is quickly building chemistry with quarterback Daniel Jones. The former undrafted free agent from the University of Indiana caught just 11 of his 20 targets for 89 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 games (three starts) in 2025 with the Miami Dolphins, but Westbrook-Ikhine had 497 receiving yards and a career-high nine touchdowns on 32 receptions in 17 games with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 and could quickly become a regular contributor with the Colts in 2026. For now, fantasy managers should be ignoring him as a late-round flier in favor of higher-upside receivers, but if Alec Pierce (ankle) is not ready for the start of the regular season, Westbrook-Ikhine will become a bit more interesting as a deep sleeper.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 19.3 | 0.2 |
John Metchie III News
Friday, August 7, 9:00 AM
Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III, who is with his fourth different NFL team in 2026 in a little more than 11 months, had a 19-yard rush and a 36-yard kick return in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. With rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye suggests that Metchie has a real shot to compete for the WR3 role this year in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The 26-year-old's primary competition will be Xavier Legette, a former first-rounder who has disappointed in his first two years in the NFL. If Metchie makes more noise in training camp and the preseason, he could have a role in the slot with the Panthers, although it wouldn't generate enough volume for the former second-rounder from Alabama to be much more than a bench stash in deeper redraft formats. In 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in 2025, Metchie had career highs with 33 catches, 274 yards, and two touchdowns on 48 targets.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs. John Metchie III
Still trying to decide between Westbrook-Ikhine and Metchie III? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is projected to score 3.4 points this week while John Metchie III is projected to score 4.9 points.
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