A.J. Brown vs Terry McLaurin: Who Should You Start?
A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. A.J. Brown averaged 12.1 PPG across 15 games with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Terry McLaurin posted 9.5 PPG in 10 appearances for the Washington Commanders.
A 2.6-PPG gap gives A.J. Brown the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. A.J. Brown saw 121 targets in 2025, while Terry McLaurin drew 60. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for A.J. Brown, even in weeks where Terry McLaurin posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: A.J. Brown sits Week 5 while Terry McLaurin is off Week 14. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
