Who Should I Start? Ray-Ray McCloud III or Brandon Aiyuk

Saturday, September 13, 11:26 AM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III garnered five targets in Week 1, turning them into three receptions for 51 yards with a long of 24 yards. That's about as good as one could hope for from the veteran receiver, and although the team gets Darnell Mooney (shoulder) back in the mix this week, Casey Washington (concussion) will be out with a concussion, and Washington drew six targets in Week 1. It likely means about the same should be expected of McCloud in Week 2 on the road against the Vikings, but with his targets typically of the short variety and not usually a threat to score (one touchdown in '24 on 62 receptions), the 28-year-old is relegated to the WR5 range or a low-end Flex option in PPR leagues.

Tuesday, August 26, 5:06 PM

The San Francisco 49ers officially placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list to begin the 2025 season, which means he will miss at least the first four contests. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already said that Aiyuk might be targeting a return around Week 6 on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 27-year-old suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of last season, which is why he's not ready for the start of 2025. The former first-round wideout had been a major disappointment in fantasy before his season-ending knee injury, too, as he caught just 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and didn't find the end zone once in seven games. It's understandable for fantasy managers to want to avoid him altogether this year, although he's still worth drafting in leagues with IR spots. With Aiyuk sidelined, Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall should serve as the top wideouts in San Fran.