Who Should I Start? Troy Franklin or Jaylin Lane

Sunday, January 25, 1:33 PM

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (hamstring) is officially inactive for the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the visiting New England Patriots, according to Mike Klis of 9 News. Franklin injured his hamstring early in the Divisional Round win against the Buffalo Bills and never returned. He was limited in practice all week, but the Broncos weren't comfortable making him active. Although Franklin saw his role decline late in the year, it's a notable loss for a Denver offense that is forced to start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidman against New England with Bo Nix (ankle) out for the rest of the season. The second-year wideout from Oregon was the Broncos' second leading receiver during the regular season with 65 catches, 709 yards, and six touchdowns on 104 targets. Marvin Mims Jr., rookie Pat Bryant, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey will need to step up behind Courtland Sutton against a solid Patriots defense on Sunday.

Tuesday, December 30, 9:57 PM

Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane (ankle) was placed on Injured Reserve ahead of his team's Week 17 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his 2025 season. A fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Lane flashed upside for brief stretches of his first NFL season but was ultimately unable to carve out a consistent role in the Washington offense when the team had top wideouts Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. healthy. Lane will finish the year with 16 catches for 225 yards on 32 targets across 15 games played. He did not record a reception over his final four games of 2025 and was targeted just four times across his final seven outings. Projecting forward to 2026, Lane profiles as a downfield threat whose ability to provide consistent fantasy production in Washington remains unclear.