Who Should I Start? Brian Thomas Jr. or Matthew Golden

Wednesday, January 29, 1:05 PM

After an impressive rookie season for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024, new head coach Liam Coen is confident that the team can run things through Thomas again in 2025. Thomas set rookie franchise marks in catches (87), receiving yards (1,282) and touchdowns (10) to earn Pro Bowl and All-AFC honors. He's also a finalist for Rookie of the Year. Jacksonville relied more on Thomas after injuries to Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and Evan Engram, and he delivered. Coen was impressed with the work that the 22-year-old did out of the slot. The Jaguars are going to build around quarterback Trevor Lawrence with Coen now the head coach, but Thomas is going to be a primary weapon after finishing third in the NFL in receiving yards in 2024. And with Coen running Jacksonville's offense now, Thomas is going to be drafted as a surefire WR1 in fantasy drafts this fall.

Wednesday, May 14, 7:57 PM

The Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden on a four-year, $17.57 million contract. Green Bay spent the No. 23 overall pick on the Texas alum, making him the first first-round wideout since the franchise selected Javon Walker in the first round of 2002. With the contract, he becomes the highest-paid Packers WR. The depth of Green Bay's wide receiver room is one of the most noteworthy knocks against him, but Golden brings something to the table that the other pass-catchers don't, and that's his blazing speed. The 21-year-old makes for an intriguing addition to the team's roster as a deep threat and should get an opportunity to play right away. However, it isn't easy to project significant volume coming his way. Even if he works to the top of the pecking order in the WR corps, the Packers have made it clear they'd like to establish the run -- bolstering the third-lowest pass rate in the NFL in 2024. Golden could prove to be an effective weapon for Jordan Love in the passing game, but the spread-it-around ways of the Packers' offense won't do him any favors.