Who Should I Start? Rome Odunze or Ricky Pearsall

Tuesday, September 2, 1:17 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze could be deployed in different spots throughout the offense, wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El told ESPN's Courtney Cronin. The second-year receiver received praise for his versatility and athleticism, with Randle El noting that he thinks Odunze is "going to have a big year." Meanwhile, Cronin said that Odunze is blossoming into quarterback Caleb Williams' top target. While it's hard to imagine Odunze truly surpassing DJ Moore on the depth chart, it's very possible we see a 1A and 1B situation within the Bears' receiver room. Only two teams targeted their wide receivers at a higher rate than the Bears (72.1 percent) last season, and that percentage could continue to increase under the guidance of new head coach and offensive mastermind Ben Johnson. Fantasy managers should be very excited about Odunze, who has legitimate WR2 upside this season.

Thursday, September 4, 12:15 PM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the San Francisco 49ers believe wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is "poised for a Year 2 Jump." The former first-round pick dealt with a myriad of issues during his rookie campaign, but is slated to handle a large workload in 2025 with the 49ers' wide receiving corps in shambles. Fellow wideout Jauan Jennings' recent return somewhat throws a wrench in that, at least for the time being. Still, it's unclear if Jennings will require ramp-up time as he's dealt with a calf injury for the majority of the summer. Pearsall and quarterback Brock Purdy have spent time this offseason developing chemistry, and San Francisco's passing offense has been excellent with him at the helm. If Jennings is slow to find his groove, the Florida State product could be in for a tremendous season.