Who Should I Start? Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux

Monday, December 9, 4:56 PM

FOX Sports' Jay Glazer said on Sunday that Detroit Lions star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (leg) has been doing some running on an underwater treadmill and can also walk without the assistance of a cane after breaking his leg back in Week 6 in the win over the Dallas Cowboys. If Hutchinson continues to progress in his rehab, there is hope that the Lions could have him available if they advance to the NFC Championship game. Initially, Hutchinson was hoping to maybe be ready if the Lions made it to the Super Bowl. The Lions will obviously need to still be alive in the playoffs for Hutchinson to have a shot at returning, but his potential return will also depend on how much time he's had to practice and get up to speed. Having Hutchinson back on the defensive line would be massive for the Lions defense after he racked up 19 sacks in the last two years.

Tuesday, February 4, 6:07 PM

According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the New York Giants are expected to pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. Duggan noted that while Thibodeaux has shown flashes of elite upside, he has not made the impact the team had hoped, given that he was selected with the fifth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. As a result, Duggan expects the team to pick up his option instead of discussing a long-term contract. After tallying just four sacks with 48 tackles in his rookie season, Thibodeaux enjoyed a massive sophomore season where he tallied 11.5 sacks. In that season, he totaled 50 tackles and three forced fumbles. However, in 2024, Thibodeaux took a step back as he logged just 5.5 sacks with 28 tackles. Fantasy managers should expect Thibodeaux to have a starting role in the New York defense next season.