Who Should I Start? Xavier Hutchinson or Tai Felton

Friday, September 5, 10:57 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson earned more playing time with a big training camp, and he could have a chance to secure a bigger role moving forward since the team will be without Christian Kirk (hamstring) for Week 1. Hutchinson finished last season with four catches for 52 yards in the playoff loss to the Chiefs, but the sixth-round pick from 2023 only has 20 catches for 207 receiving yards and no touchdowns in 32 games over his first two seasons. In camp, Hutchinson was operating as the team's third receiver behind only Kirk and Nico Collins, working ahead of rookies Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. Without Kirk, he could have a chance to step up in Week 1 if the rookies aren't ready, even though he's in a tough matchup on the road against the Rams. He's the WR86 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he's still a deep sleeper but does bring upside worth watching.

Sunday, August 24, 12:23 PM

Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Tai Felton (arm) was held out of Friday's preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans due to arm soreness. The Maryland product was lifted from practice earlier in the week but was unable to progress enough to suit up. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as this injury could linger during the opening weeks of the regular season. The Vikings selected Felton in the third round of this year's draft with the 102nd overall pick. During the first two weeks of the preseason, Felton was relatively quiet, as he saw just two targets in each game. He combined for 46 total receiving yards. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his status early in the season as he could eventually carve out a role with Jordan Addison serving a three-game suspension during the first three weeks of the campaign.