Who Should I Start? Quentin Johnston or DeMario Douglas

Friday, December 26, 9:59 AM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston reminded fantasy managers of his "boom" potential last week, erupting for 104 yards and a touchdown against the league's worst pass defense. However, his historical consistency remains an issue, and the pendulum swings back toward "bust" territory against the Houston Texans. The Texans are a defensive juggernaut, ranking first in EPA/Pass and second in pressure rate. While Johnston has overcome his groin injury, he now faces a secondary that excels at erasing deep threats and minimizing yards after the catch. In a game where Justin Herbert will likely be under constant duress, Johnston's high-variance profile makes him an extremely dangerous start in championship week. Unless you are chasing a miracle, the risk outweighs the reward. He is a touchdown-reliant, low-end WR4.

Saturday, December 27, 12:24 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas (hamstring) could sneak onto the fantasy radar in deeper leagues, but first, he'll need to shake his injury concerns. The third-year receiver is listed as questionable to play in Sunday's Week 17 contest against the New York Jets. If Douglas suits up, he should earn additional targets with Mack Hollins (abdomen) and Kayshon Boutte (concussion) both sidelined. In that scenario, Douglas would presumably operate as the No. 3 wide receiver behind Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams. Of that group, Diggs has the highest upside, but Douglas is still a solid fantasy play given his usage in short-yardage and medium-yardage situations. He has a catch in 13 of 15 games this season and should rank as a top-50 fantasy receiver for Week 17. He'll likely benefit from this matchup against the Jets, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to slot receivers in 2025. Douglas has played in the slot on 71.1% of his snaps.