Who Should I Start? Trent Taylor or Tim Patrick

Saturday, October 5, 6:46 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Trent Taylor has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Taylor will join the active roster for the first time this season with fellow wideout Jacob Cowing (shoulder) unlikely to play. Taylor will serve as depth at wide receiver, but will likely be used more frequently as a punt and kick returner. He hasn't recorded a reception in an NFL game since 2022. He's unlikely to see much action in the receiving game with a majority of the 49ers wideouts healthy right now. Taylor will likely just return kicks, which means he won't have much fantasy appeal for this weekend.

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.