Jaylen Waddle vs Rashee Rice: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Jaylen Waddle and Rashee Rice for your lineup, you are not alone. Jaylen Waddle finished the 2025 season at 10.1 PPG for the Denver Broncos (16 games), and Rashee Rice averaged 15.5 for the Kansas City Chiefs (8 games).
That 5.4-point weekly advantage for Rashee Rice is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Jaylen Waddle turned 100 targets into 910 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Rashee Rice converted 78 looks into 571 yards and 5 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
Jaylen Waddle has his bye in Week 14, and Rashee Rice rests in Week 6. 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.
