Who Should I Start? Van Jefferson or Dameon Pierce

Friday, March 15, 7:06 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing free-agent wide receiver Van Jefferson to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday. After the trade of receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this week, the move to sign Jefferson will give new quarterback Russell Wilson a new weapon alongside George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. The 27-year-old former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 spent time with new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with the Atlanta Falcons last year, catching 12 of 28 targets for 101 yards in 12 games (five starts) with the team. The move to Pittsburgh should be a boost for Jefferson's weak fantasy value, but the Steelers could also add to the position in the upcoming NFL draft. In four years in the NFL, Jefferson has 113 receptions for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns in 61 games (35 starts).

Thursday, May 2, 4:48 PM

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce had a notable rookie campaign after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In just 13 games before being sidelined with injuries, he racked up 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries and caught 30 passes for 165 yards and one score. However, his role, production, and efficiency declined in 2023 after the arrival of Devin Singletary, as he posted just 517 total yards and rushed for 2.9 yards per carry. Singletary is now gone, but the team traded for former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Despite this, Texans general manager Nick Caserio spoke highly of Pierce in a recent media availability. "He is going to be a big part of what we're doing. Watching him move on the field, he looks pretty good. Everybody's looking forward to the opportunity in front of them; you can't worry about what's happened in the past," Caserio said. "He's got as good an attitude as anyone on the team. We're glad DP is here." While you never know whether a head coach or general manager is being honest in these situations, Caserio's comments can only help his fantasy stock. Fantasy managers should go into the season with low expectations for Pierce, but he should at least be viewed as a high-end handcuff running back in what projects to be one of the league's best offenses.