Will Denzel Boston Continue to Excel in Fantasy Football? Comparing Boston on the Start/Sit Tool

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Denzel Boston has hit the ground running (that would be a better pun if he were a running back), catching long touchdown passes in each of his first two professional games. He has racked up seven catches and 154 yards to go with those two scores, and though most of those yards came on the two big TDs (46 and 55 yards), that production is sure to pique interest in fantasy football.

As a result, Boston is showing up all over our start/sit tool here at FantasySP, as fantasy owners try to determine if Boston will keep excelling. In fact, Boston's name is showing up being compared to maybe more players than I ever remember seeing on the tool. Let's do a quick hit version of Who Should I Start? featuring Boston and five of the receivers who he has been compared to most.

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Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns vs. Carolina Panthers

Outside of the two big plays, Boston has accumulated 53 yards on five catches. He's not going to score from 40-plus every week, so the question is if he can be productive enough to still have good games when he doesn't go off for those huge plays. He should be a target in the red zone given his size, and Boston still has a decent outlook right now.

The Panthers have had the tale of two games so far on defense. After giving up 59 points and around 550 total yards to the Bears in Week 1, Carolina held the Falcons to three points and around 300 yards last week, including just 145 passing yards. Now, it was a major difference in opponent, especially as Atlanta dealt with major quarterback struggles, and the Panthers will probably fall somewhere in between with their true level.

Boston has real intrigue in that WR3/4/flex range populated by a large swath of wide receivers.

Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets

Williams' profile is much like what Boston has done so far, as he is a big play waiting to happen. It hasn't happened so far, as Williams has six catches for 78 yards with a long of just 22 yards, but Williams is like a bomb without a timer: you never know when he is going to go off.

The Jets have been stout defensively so far, allowing the second-fewest yards per pass attempt and the 10th-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. The matchups haven't been too tough, with the Titans and Packers (who we saw struggle mightily on Thursday night), but New York doesn't look like the punching bag they've been in recent seasons.

Verdict: Start Jameson Williams over Denzel Boston. This is a tough one, as numbers so far point to Boston (and probably the matchup too), but Williams is the more accomplished player and plays in the more high-powered offense, giving him the better chance to break out on any given day.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans

Alec Pierce is on IR, leaving Downs to lead the wide receiver group in Indy. Tyler Warren will certainly be part of the equation, but we can expect Downs to lead the way on the outside like he has so far, pacing the team with nine catches and 109 yards. Most of that came last week (seven receptions, 72 yards) when Pierce went down injured.

Houston was one of the best defenses in football last year but has started rough this season, allowing the third-most yards per pass attempt and the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers through two weeks. I expect them to bounce back at least a little, but we can't ignore how vulnerable the Texans have been (albeit against Josh Allen and Joe Burrow).

Verdict: Start Josh Downs over Denzel Boston. Downs doesn't have a lot of competition for targets right now, and the numbers so far say to target Houston, though I'm not sure that will hold all season.

Stefon Diggs, Washington Commanders vs. Seattle Seahawks

Diggs is past his best days, but he can still play and has been productive through two weeks, racking up 102 yards and three TDs on nine receptions. Diggs is a player to consider every week, but things are pointing against him in this game.

First, his quarterback Jayden Daniels is out, leaving Marcus Mariota under center. While Mariota is fine, his ceiling is much lower than Daniels'. Most importantly, this might be the worst matchup around right now, as the Seahawks have allowed the fewest yards per pass attempt and the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. I don't want any part of fantasy players against Seattle right now.

Verdict: Start Denzel Boston over Stefon Diggs. You might not be thinking about putting Diggs on the bench after the start he has had, but everything is pointing against him in this one. I see Diggs (and Terry McLaurin) as a must-sit player.

Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets @ Detroit Lions

Mitchell was part of the Sauce Gardner trade last year, but he was overshadowed by the two first-round picks the Jets also received. He had a good half-season with New York and has started 2026 on the right note, catching nine passes for 123 yards. Though Garrett Wilson will always lead the way, both those numbers are just slightly behind Wilson for the team lead.

The Lions offer a very good matchup, sitting worse than average in yards per pass attempt allowed and giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Detroit was shredded by the pass last season as well, and I'm expecting them to continue giving up numbers to opposing passing attacks.

Verdict: Start Adonai Mitchell over Denzel Boston. The matchup is the biggest thing here, as these players sit in the same fantasy range. With Detroit vulnerable to the pass, I'll favor the New York receiver in this one.

Devaughn Vele, New Orleans Saints vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The Saints overpaid for Vele last year, sending fourth- and seventh-round picks to the Broncos for the 2024 seventh rounder. That's a sunk cost, though, and after an anonymous first season in New Orleans, Vele has come on in his second season, catching 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown through two games. That has come with Tyler Shough throwing 90 pass attempts, but it's encouraging that Vele has been part of the equation.

The surprising Raiders sit near the middle in yards per pass attempt allowed (though that 7.6 number is worse than the usual average around 7.0), and they have given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. They haven't faced stiff competition, with an unproven group in Miami in Week 1, but they also kept Ladd McConkey to just 35 yards and three catches last week, showing that they can find success against better players.

Verdict: Start Denzel Boston over Devaughn Vele. The latter's numbers will drop a little when Shough doesn't average 45 attempts per game, and he has been more of a middling-or-worse player in his career to this point.