Who Should I Start? Xavier Restrepo or Keandre Lambert-Smith

Monday, September 1, 11:30 PM

Tennessee Titans practice squad wide receiver Xavier Restrepo remains an intriguing stash in deeper dynasty leagues. Although Restrepo didn't make the Titans' 53-man roster, there are still reasons to be optimistic about his future in Tennessee. First of all, he was a priority target for the Titans as they filled out their practice squad, which means that the front office can still envision him making an impact even though he wasn't selected for the initial roster. Additionally, he has a strong rapport with quarterback Cam Ward, as they were teammates in college. Finally, Tennessee's wide receiver depth is incredibly thin, which means there may be opportunities for non-roster players to step up. Tyler Lockett is likely headed for retirement within the next couple of years, neither Bryce Oliver nor Van Jefferson is a major offensive threat, and rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor both have lower draft capital attached to them after being Day 3 picks. Any Titan receiver not named Calvin Ridley could be replaceable, so Restrepo will have chances to leapfrog other players on the depth chart and earn an elevation to the active roster. Of course, once he gets there, he'll still have to produce. However, at the minimum, there's enough to like about his landing spot to justify stashing him in dynasty leagues. The worst-case scenario is that you cut him mid-season, and that's a risk every fantasy manager can afford to take.

Sunday, August 31, 7:54 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith was one of the surprise names of the NFL preseason. The fifth-round pick flashed his big-play ability early in training camp and carried it over into the preseason games. Lambert-Smith topped 100 yards on four catches across two exhibition contests and scored in the Hall of Fame game. Despite his headline-grabbing summer, Lambert-Smith is buried on a wide receiver depth chart littered with talent. Second-year second-round pick Ladd McConkey leads the way, with longtime Charger Keenan Allen returning to operate as the second option. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston and second-round rookie Tre Harris will see a fair share of snaps. Primary returner Derius Davis is also on the active roster. KLS shouldn't be on redraft radars, but he makes an interesting taxi squad candidate in dynasty formats.