Who Should I Start? Russell Gage Jr. or Quentin Johnston

Sunday, August 3, 11:01 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Russell Gage has "run some really crisp routes" in training camp practices and has drawn the praise of quarterback Brock Purdy, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. The veteran wideout has been forced into a more prominent training camp role as a result of injuries to San Francisco receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jauan Jennings (calf), and Jacob Cowing (hamstring). Gage last appeared in an NFL game in 2022 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 74 career games, he's recorded 244 catches for 2,491 yards and 14 touchdowns. Gage is probably still a long shot to make an impact in fantasy this season, but he could earn some playing time early in the season if San Francisco continues to deal with injuries in their wide receiver room.

Saturday, August 16, 11:28 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (concussion) exited Saturday's one-point loss to the Rams after taking a hard hit. Johnston was transported to the hospital for further evaluation as a "precaution,' with head coach Jim Harbaugh revealing the wideout was diagnosed with a concussion. While the news is encouraging, the team will presumably take the cautious approach. As a result, Johnston's status for Saturday's preseason finale versus the 49ers is in question, although fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if he's not out there for that one. The 23-year-old is coming off a productive season, finishing the 2024 campaign with 55 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately, the latest injury could cause Johnston's fantasy stock to drop even more, especially since he will battle for targets with Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Tre' Harris, and Keandre Lambert-Smith throughout the year.