Christian Watson vs Jalen McMillan: Who Should You Start?
Christian Watson and Jalen McMillan are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Christian Watson averaged 11.5 PPG across 10 games with the Green Bay Packers, while Jalen McMillan posted 6.0 PPG in 4 appearances for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A 5.5-PPG gap gives Christian Watson 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. Christian Watson saw 55 targets in 2025, while Jalen McMillan drew 15. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Christian Watson, even in weeks where Jalen McMillan posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Christian Watson sits Week 10 while Jalen McMillan is off Week 11. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
