Who Should I Start? Ricky Pearsall or Travis Hunter

Sunday, January 5, 10:47 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall followed last week's breakout game with another strong showing in Sunday's 47-24 Week 18 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Arizona native caught six of eight targets for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown grab on a contested slant pattern from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Pearsall, who started his 49ers career on a terrifying note -- being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt -- had an up-and-down year once he debuted in Week 7. Pearsall produced four fantasy-useful performances in 2024 but seven in which he was held below six half-PPR points. With momentum and the validation of his first-round pedigree this season, Pearsall could be an intriguing late-round fantasy pick in 2025 depending on the health of Brandon Aiyuk's knee, and if Pearsall can move past Jauan Jennings and/or Deebo Samuel Sr. in the 49ers' hierarchy.

Monday, May 19, 10:56 PM

SI.com's John Shipley writes that Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way star Travis Hunter looked to take a noticeable step forward in his first OTA practice on Monday after he looked like he was learning to become a full-time receiver during rookie minicamp. Hunter was crisper in his routes, showed consistent hands and was able to make a number of plays in team drills on Monday. There will be a progression to the 22-year-old's game at the NFL level, but it's a good sign that he's already showing improvement, and Shipley writes that Hunter will obviously play a major role in the Jags' offense in 2025 and beyond. Jacksonville appears to prefer to use the second overall pick on offense rather than defense early in his career, but it's still too early to say how much exactly he'll factor in on offense in 2025. The Heisman Trophy winner has the skill to be the No. 2 wideout immediately, but his fantasy value will depend on how much he's also used on defense.