Who Should I Start? Terry McLaurin or Ladd McConkey

Thursday, October 2, 5:12 PM

The Washington Commanders have officially ruled out wide receivers Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) and Noah Brown (groin, knee) for the Week 5 game on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. McLaurin was trending in this direction after another missed practice on Thursday. He has not practiced or played since injuring his quad muscle in the Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. While he has improved, McLaurin is no lock to return for a Week 6 tilt on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. Fantasy managers need to keep McLaurin on their benches for a second straight week. Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) should be active this weekend despite battling a heel injury this week, and he should remain heavily involved in the offensive game plan. Luke McCaffrey and rookie Jaylin Lane will also see expanded roles in the passing attack, and they'll get a boost with quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) returning.

Friday, October 3, 6:16 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey faces a crucial Week 5 matchup after a disappointing fantasy performance against the New York Giants, where he only caught one pass for 11 yards on six targets. Although McConkey is a vital part of the offense, leading the team with 160 routes run at a 93% route rate, his 59.3% catch rate and just one red-zone target in four games indicate limited scoring potential. The Washington Commanders' weak secondary should present a favorable matchup for McConkey, especially against DB Mike Sainristil. While a rebound is likely, RotoBaller downgrades him to WR21. Managers should keep expectations realistic as McConkey is better viewed as a WR3/FLEX option for now.