DeVonta Smith vs Zay Flowers: Who Should You Start?
Two wide receivers who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) finished the 2025 season averaging 9.6 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens) came in at 11.8 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Zay Flowers carries a 2.2-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. DeVonta Smith turned 113 targets into 1008 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Zay Flowers converted 118 looks into 1211 yards and 5 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
One scheduling note: DeVonta Smith is off Week 5 and Zay Flowers 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.
