Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Jack Bech

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.

Friday, June 13, 1:15 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie second-round wide receiver Jack Bech has flashed during offseason workouts, but ESPN's Ryan McFadden points out that the majority of his reps have come with the second-team offense. "Dont'e and Jack did their stuff," head coach Pete Carroll said. "The idea is to force those guys to play early, and to do that, you have to ask them to do things they're good at." Dont'e Thornton Jr., the team's fourth-round selection, saw more action with the first-team offense. It's not a great sign for the 23-year-old Bech, but a lot can still happen in training camp this summer. Jakobi Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers are the top two targets in this offense, but there is opportunity beyond that. However, in what should be a much more balanced offensive attack that features a lot of first-round running back Ashton Jeanty, this might be a developmental year for Bech.