Who Should I Start? Velus Jones or Alec Pierce

Tuesday, December 10, 2:27 PM

The Carolina Panthers signed wide receiver/running back Velus Jones Jr. to the active roster from the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The 27-year-old was a third-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2022 out of Tennessee and totaled just 135 receiving yards and 165 rushing yards in two-plus seasons with the organization. It will be interesting to see what plans Carolina has for him, as the team could use help and wide receiver and running back. Ball carriers Jonathon Brooks (knee) and Raheem Blacksheer (chest) were both injured in last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Either way, it would be a surprise if Jones ends up on the fantasy football radar.

Sunday, January 5, 8:34 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce did his usual thing on Sunday, catching a deep 40-yard touchdown pass on the team's opening drive and adding another 17-yard catch in the 26-23 win over the Jaguars. Despite only 37 receptions on the season, the 24-year-old finishes as the Colts' receiving leader with 824 yards and seven touchdowns. With blazing speed, he led the league in average depth of target (aDOT) which helped him rack up the yardage. The former second-round draft pick will likely fill a similar role in 2025 but, unless he can garner additional targets, it's hard to envision outpacing this season's production. Nevertheless, he should be worthy of at least a bench spot in next year's drafts, as he can be a viable (yet volatile) fill-in when the bye weeks hit.