DeVonta Smith or Rashee Rice: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Too close to call — the edges cancel out.

DeVonta Smith and Rashee Rice grade out even this week. Smith's best edge is the game script (26.0 implied points to 22.5), Rice's best edge is availability (a clean report to Smith's Questionable) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.

DeVonta Smith

DeVonta Smith

WR12PHIvs WSH

Projected Points

Start
Rashee Rice

Rashee Rice

WR14KCvs DEN

Projected Points

Start

Why DeVonta Smith

Start

WR1-caliber outside receiver. Elite route technician with reliable hands and high target volume.

Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR12: WSH is the 10th-softest matchup vs WRs, 26.0 implied team total.

  • Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
  • WSH ranks 23 of 32 against WRs (one of the softer matchups, 0-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 26.0 team points as 5.5-point favorites.
  • Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 84% snap share in 2025.

Why Rashee Rice

Start

WR1 and primary target. Physical yards-after-catch separator with heavy in-breaking route usage.

Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR14: 30% target share in 2025, 14.4 PPR projected vs DEN.

  • DEN ranks 13 of 32 against WRs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 0-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 22.5 team points as 2.5-point favorites.
  • Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 75% snap share in 2025.

Latest on Rice

How Chiefs offense is working to solve one of 2025's biggest issues

Kansas City had one of the NFL's worst play-action passing attacks last season. Expect that to change in 2026.

ESPN · Aug 27, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricDeVonta SmithRashee Rice
Projected points
Consensus rankWR12WR14
Opponent vs positionWSH · 23 of 320-game sampleDEN · 13 of 320-game sample
Receptions25 of 3221 of 32
Receiving Yards27 of 3213 of 32
Receiving TDs22 of 321 of 32
Targets23 of 3228 of 32
Anytime TD18 of 321 of 32
Target share24%(2025)30%(2025)
Reception share24%(2025)31%(2025)
Implied total · spread26.0-5.522.5-2.5
Depth chartWR1WR1
Snap share84%(2025)75%(2025)
Injury designationQuestionable—

Signal breakdown

  • 14.8 vs 14.4 projected PPR pointsDeVonta Smith +
  • Rank 12 vs 14DeVonta Smith +
  • Opponent DvP rank 23 vs 13 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 26.0 vs 22.5 team pointsDeVonta Smith +
  • Questionable vs no designationRashee Rice +
  • 84% vs 75% snap shareDeVonta Smith +

Compare different players

Week 1244 players
Player A
vs
Player B

Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.

More Smith comparisons

More Rice comparisons

This week’s toughest calls

Start/Sit Board•Weekly Rankings•Streamers•Sleepers & Busts•My Team•MLB NRFI Board•Free Tools•NFL Props•NFL Games

Want full matchup analysis & AI picks? →

Save your roster and get a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up call on every player, every week — plus prop pages, matchup data, and AI-powered NFL analysis.

Add to My Team — free

Or browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.