Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Jaylin Noel

Thursday, August 28, 6:31 PM

The San Francisco 49ers re-signed wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. (knee) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday and released safety Richie Grant in a corresponding move, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Gage, who did not practice with the team on Thursday due to a knee injury, returns to the team after being released on cutdown day on Tuesday. The return of the 29-year-old speaks to how beat up their receiving room is right now with the Week 1 regular-season opener just over a week away. Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is on the PUP list, and Jauan Jennings (calf) and rookie Jordan Watkins (ankle) are up in the air to be ready on Sunday, Sept. 7, against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. If both Jennings and Watkins are unavailable for the season opener, it's possible that Gage will be forced into a starting role early on.

Sunday, August 24, 3:49 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel finished his preseason with a quiet stat line of three catches for 18 yards and no touchdowns. Despite the limited production, the rookie third-round pick from Iowa State has garnered significant praise from quarterback C.J. Stroud, who told beat writer Jared Koch that the young wideout "looks great" and is "making plays out here every day." While Noel currently sits behind veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk on the depth chart, Kirk is entering his eighth season and is coming off an injury. Given that his Iowa State teammate, Jayden Higgins, appears to have earned a starting role, Noel could also see the field a fair amount this season. Noel is a solid late-round fantasy flier, especially for managers who believe Kirk may be on the downslope of his career.