Who Should I Start? Stefon Diggs or Rome Odunze

Monday, June 2, 11:24 PM

The New England Patriots have no plans to release wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee), according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Diggs showed up for voluntary organized team activities this week in light of recent negative off-the-field publicity, and the Patriots have high hopes for him this year despite the fact he tore his ACL in Week 8 last year with the Houston Texans. After signing a three-year, $69 million deal in free agency, New England envisions the 31-year-old veteran being the WR1 for second-year quarterback Drake Maye when he's fully healthy. Diggs has been practicing without a brace this offseason and appears to be on track in his recovery from a torn ACL. On the wrong side and coming off major knee surgery, Diggs probably won't be all that explosive deep down the field with the Pats, but he could still be valuable as an every-week fantasy starter on volume as Maye's go-to aerial target.

Thursday, May 22, 3:32 PM

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is "extremely impressed" with wide receiver Rome Odunze this offseason. The Washington product had a decent rookie season considering the immense target competition from Keenan Allen and DJ Moore in 2024, especially while catching passes from a rookie quarterback. However, he was not a consistent fantasy football producer. With Johnson in Chicago and Allen out of the way, Odunze could be headed toward a Year-2 leap. "To be a second-year guy, you would expect a little bit more inconsistency," Johnson said. "And yet, the way he approaches the meeting room, the walk-throughs, the on-field, the drill work, it's very much like a seasoned pro, some of the best that I've been around." This is encouraging for Odunze's fantasy prospects, but the team added former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first two rounds of last month's draft, so target competition will remain a factor. The jury is also still out on Caleb Williams, and Odunze has a wide range of outcomes in 2025. His low-end WR3 cost in fantasy football drafts makes him an intriguing dart throw in redraft and best ball leagues.