Who Should I Start? Noah Brown or Calvin Austin III

Thursday, June 12, 6:53 PM

After being carted from mandatory minicamp practice on Wednesday with an undisclosed injury, Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (undisclosed) is undergoing an MRI exam on Thursday, according to head coach Dan Quinn. The good news is that Brown was able to walk off the field before being carted to the locker room, but it's unclear what exactly his injury is or how much time he might miss. We should have answers soon. The bad news is that the 29-year-old's injury was of the non-contact variety, which typically is bad news for a football player. If it's a significant injury, Luke McCaffrey, K.J. Osborn, Jaylin Lane and Michael Gallup (hamstring) would have additional opportunities in the competition for the No. 3 role in D.C. behind Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. Even at full health, Brown isn't really an option for fantasy managers in 12-team leagues.

Thursday, July 3, 7:17 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni noted during the team's minicamp that he believes wide receiver Calvin Austin III is poised to step into the offense's No. 2 pass-catching role. "I think that '2' spot is all Calvin's right now," said Azzanni. The Memphis alum put together his best statistical season in 2024 with a decent 36/548/4 line as the team's third-leading wideout. However, even with the departure of ex-teammate George Pickens vacating 103 targets, it won't be an easy path to fantasy relevance. Pickens was replaced by DK Metcalf, who will garner his fair share of looks, and Austin III will now have to contend with two viable options at tight end in Pat Freiermuth and the newly acquired Jonnu Smith. The 26-year-old offers the most juice on the team, but Pittsburgh's propensity to run and productive teammates will likely limit his fantasy value outside of best ball formats.