Who Should I Start? Arian Smith or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Wednesday, November 19, 12:15 AM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith had his lowest snap share since Week 1 in the team's 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 11. Smith played just 15.8% of the snaps and ran 21.2% of the routes, both significantly lower than his season averages. It seems the rookie wideout has moved into a depth role after the Jets acquired two wide receivers at the trade deadline in John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell. Smith wasn't a fantasy-relevant option to begin with, catching six of 10 targets for 47 yards in 10 games this season.

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.