Who Should I Start? Xavier Smith or Jaylin Lane


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.4 0.3 0.0 0.5 6.7 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
1.6 0.6 0.0 0.5 7.3 0.0

Jaylin Lane News

Jaylin Lane Struggling to Find Role in New-Look Receiver Room

Friday, September 11, 6:59 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane may struggle to carve out a substantial role in the team's new-look receiver room. The Commanders signed Stefon Diggs and drafted Antonio Williams this past offseason, slotting them into the second and third receiver roles behind Terry McLaurin. That leaves a combo of Lane, Dyami Brown, and Treylon Burks competing for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart. Lane might benefit from being the youngest of that group, but that also means he has the least experience and the least impactful track record. As a rookie last year, the Virginia Tech product caught just 16 of his 32 targets for 225 yards. We'd expect Lane to remain on special teams, with his occasional offensive snaps not providing enough stability for any sort of fantasy relevance. He can be left on waivers in all redraft leagues.


Xavier Smith vs. Jaylin Lane

Still trying to decide between Smith and Lane? 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 1.4 points this week while Jaylin Lane is projected to score 1.6 points.