Who Should I Start? Terry McLaurin or Ja'Marr Chase

Sunday, January 7, 8:31 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught six of eight targets for 56 yards during Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Another year, another what-if season for McLaurin. Although the fifth-year receiver had his fourth-straight 1,000-yard season, middling quarterback play still held him back for most of the year. Nothing exemplified this more than quarterback Sam Howell underthrowing a wide-open McLaurin for what would've been a 51-yard touchdown on Washington's first possession of Week 18. There is light at the end of the tunnel for this offense, as the Commanders are locked into the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. If the team selects one of the blue-chip quarterback prospects, McLaurin's fortunes could finally take a turn for the better next season.

Wednesday, April 24, 2:05 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals exercised the fifth-year option for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on Wednesday, as expected. Chase is now officially locked up through the 2025 season. The 24-year-old former fifth overall pick in 2021 out of LSU has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons in the NFL and set a career-high with 100 catches on 145 targets for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games in 2023, despite the fact that quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) missed considerable time with a season-ending injury. Chase's seven touchdowns in 2023 were a career-low, but he should bounce back in that department in 2024 as long as Burrow can stay healthy all year. Chase's fantasy arrow continues to point up and he should be considered a top-tier WR1.