Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Allen Lazard

Friday, May 2, 12:02 PM

Carolina Panthers veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he talked with his family, and they wanted him to play in 2025. He plans to go through a similar process after this season, which is the final year of his contract. Depending on how the 34-year-old feels and what his family thinks after the 2025 campaign, Thielen could hang up his cleats and retire. He's returning for a third season in Carolina after playing in a career-low 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. In those 10 games, he caught 48 of his 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns. He should continue to be a trusted weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young out of the slot this year, but the addition of first-round rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan will surely make Thielen harder to trust as a WR3/flex in fantasy based on volume alone like he was in 2023, when he recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career on 103 targets.

Wednesday, May 7, 10:34 AM

As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to navigate the offseason, trading for New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard is "in play," according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio notes, the move likely hinges on whether the Steelers sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This wouldn't be the first time a team has pursued a receiver to satisfy the veteran signal caller. The Green Bay Packers once re-acquired Randall Cobb as part of Rodgers' demands during a contract holdout, and the Jets signed Lazard after trading for Rodgers in 2023. The 29-year-old would likely slot in as Pittsburgh's No. 2 receiver behind DK Metcalf after they traded George Pickens to Dallas. He typically plays much better with Rodgers throwing him the football, as he commanded 100 targets from the future Hall of Famer in 2022. He also opened last season with 412 yards and five touchdowns over his first seven games, all of which featured Rodgers under center. Any sort of Lazard trade likely won't happen until Rodgers makes a decision on his future. While nothing is imminent, fantasy managers should keep tabs on Rodgers, as his eventual decision will surely have a ripple effect on many players across the league.