Who Should I Start? Trent Taylor or Ainias Smith

Wednesday, June 4, 6:35 PM

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Tuesday that they placed wide receiver Trent Taylor (undisclosed) on Injured Reserve and signed receiver Malik Knowles to an undisclosed one-year deal in a corresponding move. It's unclear exactly what Taylor's injury is, but he's now expected to miss the entire 2025 season. The 31-year-old former fifth-round pick (177th overall) in 2017 out of Louisiana Tech spent the first three years of his career in the Bay Area before going to the Cincinnati Bengals for two years and the Chicago Bears in 2023. In just two games in his return to the Niners last season, Taylor caught his only target for an 11-yard pickup. Taylor has been a depth piece in his career and has a total of 88 receptions for 845 yards and only three touchdowns on 138 targets over 80 games played (three starts) since debuting in 2017.

Tuesday, August 19, 9:35 AM

Second-year Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith has enjoyed a healthy training camp, and his coaches have taken notice. Last season, as a fifth-round rookie, he struggled through camp with a stress fracture in his shin that would eventually land him on Injured Reserve for two months. This year, he is healthy and competing for one of the Eagles' last receiver spots on the 53-man roster. He has played in each of the team's first two preseason games, catching a touchdown in both and returning punts and kicks, as his path to the roster may run through special teams. Smith has been competing with fellow second-year wideout Johnny Wilson and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper for one of the team's final roster spots, and on Sunday, the Eagles acquired former second-round pick John Metchie III from the Houston Texans. Whoever can win the camp battle will have little relevance in managed redraft leagues, but could be worth a stash in deep dynasty formats.