Michael Wilson vs Rashee Rice: Who Should You Start?
Michael Wilson and Rashee Rice are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Michael Wilson averaged 10.7 PPG across 17 games with the Arizona Cardinals, while Rashee Rice posted 15.5 PPG in 8 appearances for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A 4.8-PPG gap gives Rashee Rice 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. Michael Wilson saw 126 targets in 2025, while Rashee Rice drew 78. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Michael Wilson, even in weeks where Rashee Rice posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Michael Wilson sits Week 11 while Rashee Rice is off Week 6. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
