On the field, it may appear on the surface that the careers of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice are heading in different directions.
But there is usually more to a situation than meets the eye, and that could be the case with these two receivers. Here’s the fantasy football outlook for Kirk and Rice heading into the 2024 season.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Christian Kirk
As of Aug. 28, Kirk is the WR31 in Pro Football Network’s consensus fantasy football rankings. But while this ranking represents a player who was outside the top 30 among wide receivers in fantasy points production, could it also represent a player with terrific value in fantasy?
Kirk’s numbers last season — 57 receptions, 787 receiving yards, three touchdowns — were definitely off, but a groin injury that cost him his final five games provides some clarity on the declining numbers. Other numbers seemed to show that Kirk’s season wasn’t as disappointing as we were led to believe.
Kirk’s yards per reception (13.8) and receiving yards per game (65.6) were both career highs. In addition, his catch percentage (67.1%) was the second highest of his career.
MORE: Fantasy Team Names
Remember, it was just two seasons ago that Kirk, starting all 17 games for the only time in his career, had over 1,100 receiving yards (1,108) and a career-high eight TD receptions.
If Kirk has lost anything in his game, you might want to ask the two teams that played in last February’s Super Bowl, seeing as his only 100-yard receiving games last season came against the Chiefs (110) and San Francisco 49ers (104).
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Rashee Rice
Rice is considerably ahead of Kirk at WR19 in PFN’s consensus rankings. Considering Rice finished 29th among wide receivers in fantasy scoring last season, this is an indication that his star is certainly on the rise.
On the field, there is little question about Rice’s ability at this point. His rookie season in 2023 was impressive, with 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. Plus, he got better as the season went on, averaging 7.2 receptions and 86.3 receiving yards per game over his final six regular-season games.
KEEP READING: Bye Weeks Schedule
And although he averaged 13.3 fantasy points per game for the season in 2023 — a respectable average for a rookie wide receiver — Rice averaged 18.5 over those final six games.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
Along with signing quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a massive contract in the offseason, the Jaguars had a significant changeover at the wide receiver position in the offseason, with Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. now in the mix.
However, if familiarity means anything, Kirk, along with tight end Evan Engram, are the most familiar faces that Lawrence will be throwing to.
As for Rice, his issues are off the field, with a potential suspension looming. Whether or not a suspension is forthcoming, his legal situation was concerning enough for the Chiefs to bring back JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was previously with Kansas City in 2022.
At the end of the day, Rice’s potential for a breakout season in Year 2, whether he is suspended or not, should be too much for fantasy managers to pass up when deciding between these two.