Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Darius Cooper

Saturday, September 6, 4:32 PM

The San Francisco 49ers have elevated veteran wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. from the practice squad, meaning he will see his first game action since 2022. Gage missed the past two seasons after suffering a torn patellar tendon, but was previously a reliable WR3 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady. The 49ers' receiver room is in shambles, with Brandon Aiyuk, Jacob Cowing, and Demarcus Robinson all sidelined. Gage has a chance to see the field in Week 1 as he's expected to serve as the team's WR5 and play limited snaps if needed. While fantasy production isn't likely, simply seeing Gage back on the field after such a long recovery is a great story and an encouraging sign for San Francisco's depth moving forward.

Friday, November 7, 10:49 PM

Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Darius Cooper saw his highest usage of his career so far and his first playing time since Week 3 in Philly's last game against the Giants. When Philly hosted New York, Cooper played 26 snaps, being on the field for 44.1% of offensive plays. His previous highest was 12 snaps on 20% of plays back in Week 2. Cooper was also close to having the first target of his career on a third quarter pass, but the play was negated by a pass interference, stopping him from recording his first stat. Even with A.J. Brown missing the contest, Cooper was unable to get involved. He's still unworthy of a bench spot on fantasy teams.