Ja'Marr Chase vs Ricky Pearsall: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two wide receivers. Ja'Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals) averaged 15.7 PPG over 16 games in 2025, outscoring Ricky Pearsall (San Francisco 49ers, 7.8 PPG) by 7.9 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
A 7.9-PPG gap gives Ja'Marr Chase 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. Ja'Marr Chase saw 185 targets in 2025, while Ricky Pearsall drew 53. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Ja'Marr Chase, even in weeks where Ricky Pearsall posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One scheduling note: Ja'Marr Chase is off Week 12 and Ricky Pearsall Week 9. 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.
