Who Should I Start? Parker Washington or Calvin Austin III

Saturday, December 21, 12:00 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington is a difficult player for fantasy managers in the playoffs to feel good about starting in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders serve as a good matchup for the young receiver, but Washington has been overshadowed by Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange ever since he broke out with six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans in Week 13. Also, Mac Jones has been a volatile player when replacing Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, either having good enough games to support multiple receiving options in fantasy or struggling to support even one. Despite a great matchup with the Raiders, it is hard to recommend Washington with confidence in Week 16 due to his target competition and inconsistent quarterback play.

Sunday, December 22, 8:14 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III caught four of his five targets for 65 yards during Saturday's Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. With George Pickens (hamstring) sidelined, the Steelers called upon Austin to be one of their primary pass-catchers for the second week in a row. Over his last two games combined, he now has nine catches for 130 yards through the air. Austin's big-play upside gives him decent fantasy appeal, but Pickens' potential return on Christmas Day would knock Austin off the fantasy radar once again. Fantasy managers hoping to plug in Austin as a WR3/FLEX play in Week 17 should continue to monitor the Steelers' injury reports.