DeVonta Smith vs Jayden Higgins: Who Should You Start?
DeVonta Smith and Jayden Higgins are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. DeVonta Smith averaged 9.6 PPG across 17 games with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Jayden Higgins posted 6.4 PPG in 17 appearances for the Houston Texans.
A 3.2-PPG gap gives DeVonta Smith 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. DeVonta Smith saw 113 targets in 2025, while Jayden Higgins drew 68. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for DeVonta Smith, even in weeks where Jayden Higgins posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One scheduling note: DeVonta Smith is off Week 5 and Jayden Higgins Week 14. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in wide receiver for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
