Start DeVonta Smith or Emeka Egbuka? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Emeka Egbuka over DeVonta Smith in Week 1.

Emeka Egbuka is priced by the books at 5.8 projected points. DeVonta Smith has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take Emeka Egbuka at ADP 36 and DeVonta Smith at 29. Market coverage on Emeka Egbuka is 40 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for DeVonta Smith in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 5.9 fantasy points for Emeka Egbuka, with 40 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

DeVonta Smith and PHI host WAS.

WAS allowed 26.1 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 14th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 121 yards and a touchdown against WAS.

Emeka Egbuka and TB visit CIN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CIN allowed 25.8 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 13th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 139 yards and no touchdowns against CIN.

By points allowed to the position, DeVonta Smith has the softer matchup.

Injury status

DeVonta Smith was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Emeka Egbuka was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, DeVonta Smith played 17 games for PHI and scored 201.8 PPR points, 11.9 a game, finishing WR20.

He caught 77 of 113 targets for 1008 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 10 red zone targets and 715 air yards.

He was on the field for 89 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

DeVonta Smith, Week 18 of 2025 against WAS: 4 targets and 3 catches for 52 yards, 8.2 PPR points.

DeVonta Smith, Week 17 of 2025 against BUF: 46 of 54 snaps, 5 targets and 2 catches for 25 yards, 4.5 PPR points.

DeVonta Smith, Week 16 of 2025 against WAS: 60 of 70 snaps, 8 targets and 6 catches for 42 yards, 1 touchdown, 16.2 PPR points.

In 2025, Emeka Egbuka played 17 games for TB and scored 195.7 PPR points, 11.5 a game, finishing WR23.

He caught 63 of 127 targets for 938 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 603 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Emeka Egbuka, Week 18 of 2025 against CAR: 39 of 67 snaps, 3 targets and 1 catch for 8 yards, 1.8 PPR points.

Emeka Egbuka, Week 17 of 2025 against MIA: 39 of 67 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 20 yards, 5.0 PPR points.

Emeka Egbuka, Week 16 of 2025 against CAR: 36 of 64 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 40 yards, 5.0 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Emeka Egbuka scored 11.3 PPR points and DeVonta Smith scored 8.3.

The call was right: Emeka Egbuka outscored DeVonta Smith by 3.0.

Emeka Egbuka finished 5.5 points above the 5.9 the props implied.

Emeka Egbuka, Week 1 against CIN: 49 of 57 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 63 yards, 11.3 PPR points.

Emeka Egbuka finished as the week's WR29 in PPR scoring.

DeVonta Smith, Week 1 against WAS: 52 of 55 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 53 yards, 8.3 PPR points.

DeVonta Smith finished as the week's WR46 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Garrett Wilson over DeVonta Smith.
• Start George Pickens over DeVonta Smith.
• Start Malik Nabers over DeVonta Smith.
• Start Emeka Egbuka over Davante Adams.
• Start Garrett Wilson over Emeka Egbuka.
• Start Emeka Egbuka over Ladd McConkey.