Who Should I Start? Stefon Diggs or Ricky Pearsall

Monday, January 26, 10:27 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs recorded a team-high five receptions on six targets in the AFC Championship Game, but was held to just 17 receiving yards in a win over the Denver Broncos. In fairness to Diggs, there was very little pass-game success for any player on either team in the snowy conditions in Denver on Sunday. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye finished the game with just 86 passing yards on 21 attempts. Still, Diggs has had a relatively quiet postseason so far, recording 11 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets across three games played. He also played just 47% of New England's offensive snaps against Denver, fewer than fellow Patriots wideouts Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte. Diggs will face another tough matchup in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks, who finished the regular season ranked first in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.0). The veteran wide receiver should get his chances to contribute, but his production ceiling appears to be somewhat limited heading into the Super Bowl.

Tuesday, January 27, 12:58 PM

Heading into 2025, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was a popular pick to have a breakout season. However, the former first-round pick battled through a knee injury and recorded just 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns on 53 targets across nine games played. Availability has been a consistent issue for Pearsall so far in his NFL career, as he's played in just 20 games across his first two seasons. Even when on the field, the 25-year-old has not yet emerged as a featured option in the San Francisco passing game. He's logged just 99 targets in his career, an average of fewer than five per contest. However, Pearsall will likely have an opportunity for a larger role with the 49ers in 2026. Star San Francisco tight end George Kittle (Achilles) suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the team's NFC Wild Card Round win over the Philadelphia Eagles and will likely miss time in 2026 as a result. Additionally, 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings is set to hit unrestricted free agency in mid-March after leading the team's wide receiver corps in targets in 2025. Fully buying in on Pearsall remains difficult until he proves the ability to stay healthy for an extended stretch. Still, he appears to have a clear pathway to a lead role in the San Francisco passing game in 2026.