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Deebo Samuel Sr. vs Jalen McMillanWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Deebo Samuel Sr. is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.5 PPG to Jalen McMillan's 6.0 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Deebo Samuel Sr. is the better fantasy play this season.

Deebo Samuel Sr. has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 3.5-PPG advantage is real (9.5 to 6.0), and Deebo Samuel Sr.'s 6 touchdowns show scoring upside. Jalen McMillan is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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WRWashington Commanders#36PPG LEADER
Deebo Samuel Sr.
PPG
9.5
Games
16
Rec
72
Rec Yds
727
Rec TDs
5
Targets
99
Bye
Week 7
WRTampa Bay Buccaneers#99
Jalen McMillan
PPG
6.0
Games
4
Rec
12
Rec Yds
178
Targets
15
Bye
Week 11

The Edge Chart

VolumeEfficiencyTD UpsideFloorCeilingDurability
Deebo Samuel Sr.
Jalen McMillan

Head to Head

9.5 PPG6.0 PPG
16 GP4 GP
Bye: Week 7Bye: Week 11

Fantasy Tiers

Deebo Samuel Sr.: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) WR (ranked #36 at the position). Jalen McMillan: Tier 5 (Deep League) WR (ranked #99 at the position). Among the top 50 wide receivers this season, Deebo Samuel Sr. is producing at 43% of elite pace and Jalen McMillan at 27%. That ranking gap means Deebo Samuel Sr. carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Deebo Samuel Sr. vs Jalen McMillan: The Full Breakdown

Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jalen McMillan are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Deebo Samuel Sr. averaged 9.5 PPG across 16 games with the Washington Commanders, while Jalen McMillan posted 6.0 PPG in 4 appearances for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A 3.5-PPG gap gives Deebo Samuel Sr. 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. Deebo Samuel Sr. saw 99 targets in 2025, while Jalen McMillan drew 15. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Deebo Samuel Sr., even in weeks where Jalen McMillan posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.

Deebo Samuel Sr. has his bye in Week 7, and Jalen McMillan rests in Week 11. 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.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Deebo Samuel Sr. at a discount because your league-mates undervalue wide receiver production, do it. Jalen McMillan is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Deebo Samuel Sr. (age 30) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining. Jalen McMillan (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset.

Did You Know?

  • Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Jalen McMillan by a projected 60 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
  • Deebo Samuel Sr. played 16 games in 2025 compared to Jalen McMillan's 4. That durability gap means Deebo Samuel Sr. contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
  • Deebo Samuel Sr. saw 99 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the wide receiver position.
  • Jalen McMillan is 6 years younger than Deebo Samuel Sr. (24 vs 30), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Deebo Samuel Sr. vs Jalen McMillan: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
StatDeebo Samuel Sr.Jalen McMillan
PPG (Half-PPR)9.56.0
Games Played164
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)15224
Receptions7212
Rec/Game4.53.0
Receiving Yards727178
Rec Yds/Game45.444.5
Receiving TDs50
Targets9915
Target Share/Game6.23.8
Age3024
Experience6 yrs2 yrs
Bye WeekWeek 7Week 11

Summary

Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Jalen McMillan by 3.5 PPG in 2025 (9.5 to 6.0). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Deebo Samuel Sr. or Jalen McMillan in fantasy football?

Based on 2025 season averages, Deebo Samuel Sr. has the edge at 9.5 PPG compared to Jalen McMillan's 6.0 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jalen McMillan average in 2025?

Deebo Samuel Sr. averaged 9.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Jalen McMillan averaged 6.0 PPG over 4 games. That is a difference of 3.5 points per game.

When are Deebo Samuel Sr. and Jalen McMillan's bye weeks in 2026?

Deebo Samuel Sr. (WAS) has a bye in Week 7, and Jalen McMillan (TB) has a bye in Week 11. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Deebo Samuel Sr. or Jalen McMillan a better fantasy wide receiver in 2026?

Deebo Samuel Sr. outscored Jalen McMillan by 3.5 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.