Who Should I Start? Russell Gage or David Njoku

Monday, March 11, 6:31 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Gage (knee) is now a free agent. When the team reworked his deal last year, it included an option for the 2024 season, and the team has declined to pick it up. The move clears what would have been $10 million in salary, but the Bucs will take on roughly $6.9 million in dead money from old restructures. Gage signed a three-year, $30 million in free agency before the 2022 season to give quarterback Tom Brady another weapon in the passing game. He did have a career-high five touchdowns in 2022, but he also had a disappointing 51 catches for 426 yards and didn't play at all last year due to a torn patellar tendon that he suffered in training camp in August. The 28-year-old should resurface with another team, but coming off a major knee injury, it's unlikely that he'll be able to make much of a fantasy impact wherever he lands.

Sunday, January 14, 8:16 AM

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught seven of his 11 targets for 93 yards in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Njoku wound up leading the team in targets and receiving yards in the loss, capping off an extraordinary late-season run for the athletic tight end. Njoku wound up turning in a career year this past season, setting career-highs in catches (81), yards (882), and touchdowns (six). Njoku showed excellent chemistry with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who targeted the big tight end heavily over his six-game stretch of starts. The veteran will be back as Cleveland's starting tight end for the 2024 season, although he will likely go back to catching passes from Deshaun Watson and not Flacco.