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

Wednesday, May 28, 10:08 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was absent for voluntary organized team activities this week, according to The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala. The All-Pro wideout had been a full participant previously but is entering the final year of his three-year, $68.2 million contract that he signed in 2022. The 29-year-old is coming off a huge season in 2024 in which he caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games, so he's most likely angling for a new contract. General manager Adam Peters said in March that the organization would likely to work something out with McLaurin before the start of the 2025 regular season, but it remains to be seen if it will actually happen. TD regression is expected for McLaurin, and Deebo Samuel Sr. will take some targets away, but he will be a fine WR2 target going into fantasy drafts this fall.

Wednesday, April 23, 12:27 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) said that his back injury from the 2024 season is in the past and he didn't require surgery on his back. He said he was cleared to play last month and thinks he's done the work necessary to get past the fractured back that he played through last year. In addition to shaky quarterback play and Anthony Richardson eventually being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco, Pittman battled a busted back to finish with only 69 receptions, 808 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 games, which were all the lowest marks of his five-year NFL career since his rookie campaign in 2020 in which he played in only 13 games. The 27-year-old might be better off from a fantasy perspective if Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson this offseason, but either way, fantasy managers are going to be more skeptical of Pittman as a WR2 in 2025.