Jaylen Waddle vs Michael Pittman: Who Should You Start?
Jaylen Waddle (10.1 PPG) and Michael Pittman (9.6 PPG) produced nearly identical fantasy numbers in 2025. When two wide receivers are this close on a per-game basis, the weekly matchup matters more than the season-long resume. Jaylen Waddle played 16 games for the Denver Broncos; Michael Pittman suited up 17 times for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A 0.5-point per-game gap over a full season is essentially noise. It means one extra catch, one fewer target, or a single broken play away from flipping the script. For a weekly start/sit call between these two, matchup analysis matters far more than the season line.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Jaylen Waddle turned 100 targets into 910 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Michael Pittman converted 111 looks into 784 yards and 7 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Jaylen Waddle sits Week 14 while Michael Pittman is off Week 9. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
