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.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:25 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. has had a quiet rookie season, recording 10 catches (29 targets) for 135 yards and zero touchdowns in 14 games. Thornton earned steady playing time out of the gate -- 61.8% of the snaps over the first five weeks -- and drew at least two targets in each game. Known for his speed and big-play ability as a prospect, he showcased his explosiveness for the Raiders in the first three games of his career, hauling in five of his 12 targets for 94 yards. The Tennessee product posted a 25% explosive-catch rate, tied for the highest in the league among receivers with at least 12 targets during that span. The rookie fourth-rounder's snaps eventually faded, beginning in Week 11, where he played on only 38.3% of snaps and gradually declined every week until bottoming out to 7.4% in Week 16. However, in Week 17, with the Raiders competing for the No. 1 overall pick, Thornton's snaps spiked to 78%. He recorded just two catches (four targets) for 12 yards, but he had his most receptions and targets in a game since Week 3. Looking to 2026, Thornton profiles as a big-play threat who is unlikely to be a consistent producer week to week.