Who Should I Start? Tim Patrick or Tre'Quan Smith

Friday, January 17, 1:44 AM

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick delivered a solid four-game stretch where he looked like one of the best No. 3 receivers in the NFL, but a subpar finish to the regular season has stripped him of some fantasy appeal as the Divisional Round gets underway. This week, Patrick gets ready for a matchup with the Washington Commanders, who have ranked near the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers. They've also fared equally well against both slot and perimeter weapons, so Patrick's tendency to operate out wide doesn't give him much of an advantage. The veteran receiver caught two passes on three targets over his final three games during the regular season, consistently playing between 55 and 65 percent of the offensive snaps. His experience and veteran status do give him a slight boost in the playoffs, but he's still tough to trust given his reduced volume to end the regular season. Look for him to rank as a fringe top-24 fantasy receiver this week.

Tuesday, October 3, 5:21 PM

The Denver Broncos signed free-agent wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith (groin) to their practice squad on Tuesday and waived cornerback Essang Bassey and released wide receiver Michael Bandy from the practice squad in corresponding moves. Smith began the season on Injured Reserve with the New Orleans Saints due to a groin injury he suffered in training camp, but he's apparently healthy now and will have another opportunity in Denver as he reunites with his former head coach Sean Payton. The 27-year-old remains well off the fantasy radar for now. In his five seasons with the Saints since 2018, Smith has put up 131 receptions (196 targets) for 1,764 yards and 18 touchdowns in 66 games (35 starts). He had just 19 catches for 278 yards and one score in 15 games (six starts) in 2022.