Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Dontayvion Wicks

Friday, January 31, 2:03 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said after the 2024 regular season that he planned on evaluating his future this offseason before committing to a return for a 12th year in the NFL. Thielen was limited to 10 games last season due to injuries, but it sounds like he's leaning toward returning in 2025 for another season. "Yeah, I think I still have some more football in me. We'll see how that plays out in the next few weeks," Thielen said. The 34-year-old pass-catcher is a two-time Pro Bowler who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings before signing a three-year, $25 million deal with Carolina in 2023. Despite a tough two seasons with the Panthers, Thielen admits quarterback Bryce Young's improvement last year and head coach Dave Canales have been important in his decision-making progress. Although he played in only 10 games in 2024, he did average 12.8 yards per catch.

Sunday, January 12, 9:36 PM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks was consistently relied upon during the Packers' 22-10 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wild Card Weekend. Wicks was the top remaining receiver following injuries to Romeo Doubs (concussion) and Jayden Reed (shoulder) in the second half. Earning a team-high six targets on the afternoon, Wicks could only bring in two of those targets for 39 yards. He had an opportunity for a deep shot early but Jordan Love's throw ultimately was underthrown and the Eagles' Darius Slay made the interception early in the second quarter. Wicks' season was a bit of a rollercoaster with drops and inconsistent playing time, but he still led the Packers in targets (75) in 2024 to go along with 39 catches, 415 yards, and five touchdowns. For fantasy purposes, Wicks should be a late-round upside wide receiver.