Who Should I Start? Quentin Johnston or Kayshon Boutte

Monday, December 1, 6:24 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston rebounded from his Week 11 goose egg by scoring on the opening drive on Sunday, helping the Bolts beat the Las Vegas Raiders 31-14. Johnston finished with three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. It was encouraging to see him involved early in the red zone, but the passing game took a hit after Justin Herbert injured his hand, and the Chargers relied heavily on the ground game to dominate the Raiders. Next Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles enter with a top-10 secondary despite recent struggles. If Herbert, who is scheduled for surgery today, can't play, the entire passing attack could suffer as backup Trey Lance would step in. Philly just allowed 281 rushing yards to Chicago, so the Chargers could again lean on the run. With QB uncertainty and a tough matchup, expectations for all Chargers wide receivers, including Johnston, should be lowered.

Tuesday, December 2, 11:08 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte scored his team-leading sixth touchdown of the season in Monday night's win over the New York Giants. Boutte has been an impactful player for New England in his third season, leading the league with 12.7 yards per target. When healthy, the 23-year-old has operated as one of the Patriots' starting wide receivers, leading their wide receiver group in route share (67.3%). Boutte isn't a major target-earner, but he's been an explosive playmaker for breakout quarterback Drake Maye. Boutte and the Patriots head into their Week 14 bye on a high note and will prepare for a big divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. Boutte is a low-floor, high-ceiling player who could be worth adding off the waiver wire this week to have as a flex option for the rest of the season.