Who Should I Start? Rashee Rice or Rome Odunze

Thursday, May 29, 3:31 PM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) was limited to just three full games last season before suffering a major knee injury in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Before his injury, he looked like a fantasy football league winner while securing 24 receptions for 288 yards and two scores. According to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he is healing up nicely. "He looks like Rashee," Mahomes said after Thursday's OTAs. "I think he can be one of the best receivers in the league." Rice seemed to be locked into the WR1 role early in last year's campaign, so if he is fully healthy for the start of the 2025 season, he could be one of the best value picks at his low-end WR2 cost in fantasy drafts. That said, uncertainty surrounding his handful of off-the-field incidents from last offseason remains. It is unknown if he will face a suspension that will affect his 2025 availability.

Thursday, May 22, 3:32 PM

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is "extremely impressed" with wide receiver Rome Odunze this offseason. The Washington product had a decent rookie season considering the immense target competition from Keenan Allen and DJ Moore in 2024, especially while catching passes from a rookie quarterback. However, he was not a consistent fantasy football producer. With Johnson in Chicago and Allen out of the way, Odunze could be headed toward a Year-2 leap. "To be a second-year guy, you would expect a little bit more inconsistency," Johnson said. "And yet, the way he approaches the meeting room, the walk-throughs, the on-field, the drill work, it's very much like a seasoned pro, some of the best that I've been around." This is encouraging for Odunze's fantasy prospects, but the team added former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first two rounds of last month's draft, so target competition will remain a factor. The jury is also still out on Caleb Williams, and Odunze has a wide range of outcomes in 2025. His low-end WR3 cost in fantasy football drafts makes him an intriguing dart throw in redraft and best ball leagues.