Who Should I Start? Russell Gage or James Proche

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.

Tuesday, March 19, 7:22 PM

The Cleveland Browns re-signed wide receiver/kick returner James Proche II to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Proche, a former sixth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 out of SMU, didn't catch any of his five targets in 10 regular-season games (one start) in 2023 in his first year with the Browns. He did, however, return 22 points for 197 yards and one kickoff for a gain of 19 yards last year. The 27-year-old has a grand total of 25 career receptions on 45 targets for 278 yards and no touchdowns in 53 games (one start) in his four NFL seasons, so he's not going to be a factor suddenly on offense for Cleveland in 2024. Proche will, however, give the Browns another option to return kicks on special teams yet again.