Who Should I Start? Xavier Smith or CJ Daniels


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.2 0.4 0.0 0.4 5.5 0.0

Xavier Smith News

Rams Tender Contracts to Harrison Mevis, Xavier Smith

Monday, March 2, 5:18 PM

The Los Angeles Rams announced on Monday that they tendered exclusive-rights free-agent kicker Harrison Mevis and wide receiver Xavier Smith. Neither Mevis nor Smith will be allowed to negotiate with other teams this offseason. Mevis, 23, made his NFL debut last year and was impressive, making 12 of his 13 field-goal attempts (made his lone try from 50-plus yards) and all 39 of his extra-point tries in nine regular-season games. He finished the year ranked as the No. 8 fantasy kicker in terms of fantasy points per game at 8.3. In the playoffs, Mevis was a perfect 15-for-15 on field goals (six) and extra-point tries. The former undrafted kicker out of Missouri should enter the 2026 season as the favorite to be L.A.'s starting kicker, which will make him pretty attractive in fantasy football in one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.5 0.2 0.0 0.6 7.2 0.0

CJ Daniels News

CJ Daniels a Low-Priority Dynasty Stash

Friday, June 19, 5:12 AM

No strangers to bundling draft picks in pursuit of the players they covet, the Los Angeles Rams sent two additional seventh-round picks to the Philadelphia Eagles to move up 10 spots in the 2026 NFL Draft and select wide receiver CJ Daniels in the sixth round. While many expected the Rams to use an earlier pick at the position, Daniels was the only offseason addition to a room topped comfortably by one of the league's most dynamic duos in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Behind that pairing, the number three role is less decided, with a potential training camp battle expected to sort out a rotation between Daniels, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and Xavier Smith. Unfortunately, whoever claims the Rams' third receiver spot will hold very little fantasy relevance in an offense at the forefront of the tight end revival. That said, Adams is 33 years old, and Nacua plays a physical brand of football that has caused him to miss seven games over the past two seasons, so if Daniels can earn himself a roster spot, he has the size and versatility to handle an expanded role as an injury fill-in for either. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR117, he is by no means a player who needs to be targeted as aggressively as he was by the Rams in April, but he's worthy of an end-of-bench or taxi squad stash in deeper leagues.


Xavier Smith vs. CJ Daniels

Still trying to decide between Smith and Daniels? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Xavier Smith is projected to score 1.2 points this week while CJ Daniels is projected to score 1.5 points.