Who Should I Start? Terry McLaurin or Michael Pittman Jr.

Tuesday, January 28, 4:39 PM

The Athletic's Ben Standig writes that Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin's agent is expected to seek a new deal for the second-team All-Pro pass-catcher this offseason after recording his fifth straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024. In 17 regular-season games, McLaurin had 82 receptions on 117 targets for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels elevated the entire offense. McLaurin added 14 catches on 23 targets for 227 yards and three touchdowns in the team's three playoff games. Going into the 2025 campaign, McLaurin's seventh in the league, he will be much more expensive in fantasy drafts as a WR1 after Daniels' impressive rookie season. In his six years in the NFL, McLaurin has 38 total touchdowns in 97 regular-season games and is averaging 65.8 yards per game.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.