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Brandon Aiyuk and DeVonta Smith are two of the better fantasy football wide receiver options thanks to their respective team's offenses. Both players are the No. 2 receivers on their team's rosters but that hasn't slowed down their production this season.
They have been top-20 receivers in PPR leagues so far and they have been a must-start in all of their games. Their ADP entering the 2023 season has been close.
Should fantasy managers have both players on their team, it will be quite a tough decision on who to start in Week 5. Let's take a look at each player and their value this week.
Is Brandon Aiyuk a good fantasy pick?
Brandon Aiyuk is tied for first on the San Francisco 49ers with Deebo Samuel in receptions (17), first in yards (320), and third in targets (20). The six-foot, 200-pound receiver is showing just how valuable he is in San Francisco's offense in 2023.
Looking deeper into the numbers, he's ninth with an 83.3 contested catch rate, meaning he can with those one-on-one matchups against cornerbacks. He has still managed to put together 61 fantasy points in an offense with Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey.
His biggest game came in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers with 32.9 points, as he caught eight passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Aiyuk didn't play in Week 3 due to a shoulder injury but picked up where left off in Week 4. He got fantasy managers 20.8 points thanks to his six catches for 148 yards.
The 25-year-old is on pace for another 200+ point season in fantasy football as he ended last season with 227.8 points. Nothing has stopped Aiyuk from getting it done as he's looked like the WR1 on the team in some games thanks to quarterback Brock Purdy.
His only real competition is Samuel and McCaffrey in terms of getting the ball but it has worked out early on.
Also read: Brandon Aiyuk fantasy outlook
Is DeVonta Smith a good fantasy pick?
DeVonta Smith entered this season as a WR13 and the 27th-best player in fantasy football. His high ranking is due to his effort last season in fantasy football. He ended the 2022 season with 254.6 fantasy points, the 8th most amongst receivers and the 28th most points overall.
The former Crimson Tide star is currently trailing teammate A.J. Brown in targets (29), receptions (22), and yards (284). Yet, Smith is tied with Brown with two touchdowns. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has made sure to find the Heisman Trophy winner whenever possible.
His numbers have proven that the 24-year-old is right up there in the Philadelphia Eagles passing game. Being the second-best wideout on a team usually means there's a gap between them and the top wideout. In the case of Smith and Brown, it can be interchangeable at times.
Fantasy managers loved Smith's game in Week 2 where he had 23.1 points against the Minnesota Vikings. Three of his four games have seen the young receiver get at least 10 points in a game for fantasy football.
His speed is a factor as he clocked in at 20.82 miles per hour in that Vikings game on a 54-yard reception. Smith has shown that he meshes well with Brown to the benefit of the Eagles and those in fantasy.
For managers looking to acquire Brandon Aiyuk, DeVonta Smith, or any other player, make sure to use the fantasy football trade analyzer.
Brandon Aiyuk vs. DeVonta Smith: Who should I start in Week 5?
Per the Sportskeeda Start/Sit Optimizer, go with Smith slightly over Aiyuk this week. The gap as you can see is pretty close but if you have an extra flex spot, start Aiyuk if possible.
The Dallas Cowboys play plenty of man coverage and Aiyuk thrives against it. Per FantasyPros, he has a 28.6% target share and a 39.0% air-yard share. He has four deep targets and four red-zone looks.
Aiyuk will run about 75 percent of his routes against Stephon Gilmore and the remaining 25 percent against Daron Bland. He has that WR1 upside because the focal point for Dallas' defense is to stop McCaffrey, leaving Aiyuk in some winnable matchups.
Smith will face a Los Angeles Rams defense that has been great against receivers but stopping Brown could take precedence. He has a 21.5% target share, a 31.4% air yard share, and a 27.9% first-read share according to FantasyPros. Being the WR2 will benefit Smith here as the Rams' secondary isn't as deep.
Fantasy managers with Smith should be happy to start him and even happier if they have Aiyuk as well. It will be a tougher test for Aiyuk despite being at home while Brown is on the road cross-country against Los Angeles.
