Who Should I Start? Brandon Aiyuk or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Monday, August 11, 5:05 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't thought about it much, but said that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) might return in Week 6. General manager John Lynch already said that he didn't think Aiyuk would be ready for Week 1 of the regular season in early September, but now it looks like the 27-year-old pass-catcher will be out much longer after tearing both his MCL and ACL in his right knee last October. Aiyuk is expected to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which will require him to miss at least the first four games. He has not practiced with the team at all this year. Obviously, this is a big hit to Aiyuk's 2025 fantasy value. Aiyuk is stash-worthy in fantasy leagues that have designated Injured Reserve spots. In Aiyuk's absence, both Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall stand to benefit as key members of the passing attack.

Wednesday, August 6, 12:06 PM

On the Las Vegas Raiders' first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, they've listed rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. as a starter opposite Jakobi Meyers. Thornton has impressed all season leading into his first year in the NFL and continues to get reps with the first-team offense during training camp. With the Raiders expected to play their starters in their preseason opener this Thursday against the Seattle Seahawks, we should see the 22-year-old get some run with quarterback Geno Smith for a series or two. So far, Thornton has been more impressive than Jack Bech, and he could operate as Smith's top deep threat down the field in 2025. Thornton averaged an impressive 25.4 yards per catch in his final season at Tennessee and could be worth a late-round flier in deep fantasy leagues. RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR78.