Who Should I Start? Xavier Hutchinson or Jacob Cowing

Thursday, January 9, 8:47 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson should not be considered for lineups with the Texans set to play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card meeting on Saturday. The 24-year-old has played more often since Tank Dell (knee) was lost for the season, but still managed just four catches for 34 yards in the past three weeks. With wide receiver Diontae Johnson now in the fold and Robert Woods still around, it's tough to say which, if any, secondary receiver will emerge behind No. 1 option Nico Collins. Additionally, Houston's offense has averaged just 15.6 points in its past five games. Hutchinson wasn't a strong option anyway, but an uncertain target share and an unpredictable passing offense make him avoidable in playoff formats.

Friday, June 13, 12:14 PM

The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that one of the themes among coaches and players this spring was that nobody took better advantage of the offseason than San Francisco 49ers second-year wide receiver Jacob Cowing. The 24-year-old was selected 135th overall (fourth round) last year but had a minimal role, catching just four passes for 80 yards in 15 games (zero starts). However, he trained with quarterback Brock Purdy and receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) early in the offseason and had a prominent role during spring practices. It helped that Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jauan Jennings (calf) were sidelined, but it's notable nonetheless. Cowing has great speed and is doing a better job of maintaining it throughout his cuts and breaks. He's good with the ball in his hands and could be a nice little gadget player in 2025, although it's unlikely to amount to much fantasy value.