Alec Pierce vs DeVonta Smith: Who Should You Start?
The gap between Alec Pierce and DeVonta Smith is smaller than most fantasy managers think. Separated by just 1.1 PPG in 2025, this is one of those wide receiver decisions that comes down to context, not name recognition. Alec Pierce averaged 10.7 PPG with the Indianapolis Colts across 15 games, and DeVonta Smith posted 9.6 with the Philadelphia Eagles in 17.
When two wide receivers are separated by less than two points per game, the decision shifts to weekly context. Who has the softer defense? Who is trending up over the last month? Which team is projected for more total points? Those are the tiebreakers that actually matter.
Target volume is the story here. DeVonta Smith saw 113 targets in 2025, while Alec Pierce drew 84. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for DeVonta Smith, even in weeks where Alec Pierce posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Alec Pierce has his bye in Week 14, and DeVonta Smith rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at wide receiver for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
