Who Should I Start? Adonai Mitchell or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Thursday, January 29, 4:49 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is coming off an up-and-down 2025 season. A second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 NFL Draft, Mitchell recorded just 32 catches over the first 25 games of his career with Indy. However, he was seemingly rejuvenated by a midseason trade to New York, where he finished the season by hauling in 24 receptions for 301 yards and two touchdowns on 58 targets across eight games played. The Jets afforded Mitchell his first chance at extended playing time, as he played at least 80% of the team's offensive snaps in six of his eight contests. Heading into 2026, star Jets wideout Garrett Wilson's (knee) return from injury will push Mitchell down the depth chart. However, Mitchell appears to be in the mix for the team's WR2 role, depending on the additions made by New York in free agency and the draft. It's worth noting that Mitchell remained an inefficient pass-catcher even after being acquired by the Jets, as he averaged just 5.2 yards per target. Still, he's a talented young player with a possible playing time runway who should be on the radar of fantasy managers in both dynasty and redraft formats.

Monday, February 16, 5:56 PM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. had an underwhelming rookie season, catching just 10 of his 30 targets for 135 yards through 15 games. There was plenty of preseason hype about the Tennessee product, so it was frustrating to see that he never really produced at a significant level. Part of the blame falls on Thornton himself, but we can also attribute some of it to the poor state of the Raiders' offense. Quarterback Geno Smith struggled during his first year with the team, amassing 17 interceptions and just 19 touchdowns. All signs point to Vegas drafting college football standout Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, which would put the offense in a better state and potentially lead to more upside for Thornton. He could also pick up some additional targets with veteran Tyler Lockett headed for free agency. The 23-year-old is a very intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues after his quiet season. Dynasty managers may have already grown impatient with Thornton, meaning that he could be acquired at minimal cost.