Who Should I Start? Ray-Ray McCloud or Russell Gage

Thursday, March 14, 6:26 PM

The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent veteran wide receiver and returner Ray-Ray McCloud to a two-year deal worth up to $6 million on Thursday, according to a source. The Falcons have added McCloud and Darnell Mooney through free agency this week and Rondale Moore via trade to give the team much better speed and receiving depth behind No. 1 wideout Drake London. McCloud, 27, is known more for his returning skills on special teams and has just 90 receptions (134 targets) for 767 receiving yards and one touchdown in his six years in the NFL with the Niners, Bills, Panthers and Steelers. Buffalo's former sixth-round pick in 2018 out of Clemson will compete for a depth role at the receiver position in Atlanta this summer while also being a candidate to return kicks. He's off the fantasy radar.

Monday, March 11, 6:31 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage (knee) is now a free agent. When the team reworked his deal last year, it included an option for the 2024 season, and the team has declined to pick it up. The move clears what would have been $10 million in salary, but the Bucs will take on roughly $6.9 million in dead money from old restructures. Gage signed a three-year, $30 million in free agency before the 2022 season to give quarterback Tom Brady another weapon in the passing game. He did have a career-high five touchdowns in 2022, but he also had a disappointing 51 catches for 426 yards and didn't play at all last year due to a torn patellar tendon that he suffered in training camp in August. The 28-year-old should resurface with another team, but coming off a major knee injury, it's unlikely that he'll be able to make much of a fantasy impact wherever he lands.