Drake London or Makai Lemon: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start London — the projection and consensus rank edges are too wide to ignore.
Drake London projects 15.1 to Lemon's 8.5 and is the higher consensus play (WR8 to WR57). Lemon's edge is the game script, 26.0 implied points to 19.8. The gap is wide.
Drake London
9.012.115.1 Projected Points
Makai Lemon
5.87.28.5 Projected Points
Why Drake London
StartWR1 and primary target. Big-bodied X receiver who wins contested catches at the catch point with elite ball skills.
Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR8: PIT is the 8th-softest matchup vs WRs, 31% target share in 2025.
- PIT ranks 25 of 32 against WRs (one of the softer matchups, 0-game sample).
- Vegas implies 19.8 team points as 3.0-point underdogs.
- Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 91% snap share in 2025.
Why Makai Lemon
Sit· mediumRookie WR3 in slot-heavy role. Quick separator with reliable hands and yards-after-catch juice.
Rookie WR3 in Philly's rotation projects just 8.5 PPR points (WR49) — below flex-worthy in 12-team leagues despite the 26.0 implied total.
- 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-3 on the latest depth chart.
The call
- Consensus has him at WR49 with an 8.5-point projection; in a 12-team PPR you're starting roughly 36 receivers, so that's replacement level at best.
- Depth-chart reality is the cap: he's the WR-3 in Philadelphia, so target volume runs through the top two options before him and there's no established snap or target share to lean on.
- The environment is fine — 26.0 implied team total as a 5.5-point favorite — but a favored script can also mean fewer pass attempts late, which hurts the third receiver most.
- The opponent DvP mark of 23 of 32 comes off a 0-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so there's no matchup edge here worth chasing. A clear injury ahead of him on the depth chart is what would flip this to a flex play.
Latest on Lemon
Lemon is now fully healthy heading into the Eagles' Week 1 preparation.
Makai Lemon learns plenty from preseason debutphiladelphiaeagles.com · Aug 29, 2026Lemon missed time during Training Camp with a hamstring injury while making three catches in his preseason debut.
Makai Lemon learns plenty from preseason debutphiladelphiaeagles.com · Aug 29, 2026Makai Lemon returned to full participation in practice after missing time with a hamstring injury.
Makai Lemon returns to full participation at practicephiladelphiaeagles.com · Aug 24, 2026There is no shortage of storylines surrounding the Eagles as they ready for an intrigue-filled 2026 season.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Drake London | Makai Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 9.012.115.1 | 5.87.28.5 |
| Consensus rank | WR8 | WR57 |
| Opponent vs position | PIT · 25 of 320-game sample | WSH · 23 of 320-game sample |
| Receptions | 30 of 32 | 25 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 28 of 32 | 27 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 22 of 32 | 22 of 32 |
| Targets | 29 of 32 | 23 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 18 of 32 | 18 of 32 |
| Target share | 31%(2025) | — |
| Reception share | 29%(2025) | — |
| Implied total · spread | 19.8+3.0 | 26.0-5.5 |
| Depth chart | WR1 | WR3 |
| Snap share | 91%(2025) | — |
Signal breakdown
- 15.1 vs 8.5 projected PPR pointsDrake London +
- Rank 8 vs 57Drake London +
- Opponent DvP rank 25 vs 23 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 19.8 vs 26.0 team pointsMakai Lemon +
- No injury designationseven
- Snap shareeven
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