Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel Sr. or Brian Thomas Jr.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Deebo Samuel Sr. News

Deebo Samuel Sr. Set for Multi-Purpose Workload in San Francisco

Thursday, August 20, 12:42 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will "have a varied role at receiver, running back, and kick returner" in the upcoming season, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Samuel Sr. spent the first six years of his NFL career with the 49ers before being traded to the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2025 season. Across 81 career games with San Francisco, Samuel Sr. collected 1,143 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns to go along with nearly 4,800 receiving yards and 22 touchdown grabs. While the 30-year-old is no longer the same level of athlete he was earlier in his career, Samuel Sr.'s dual-threat ability provides an added element of value for fantasy managers. He's also expected to play a significant role in the 49ers' offense with San Francisco wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) set to miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.3 1.0 0.0 3.4 51.1 0.3

Brian Thomas Jr. News

Brian Thomas Jr. Practicing in Non-Contact Jersey

Wednesday, August 26, 6:00 AM

Following an injury scare that forced him out of Tuesday's joint practice with the Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) is back in attendance on Wednesday, spotted wearing an orange non-contact jersey as he started the day with individual drills. Thomas came down on his shoulder while making a touchdown catch early in Tuesday's practice and showed obvious discomfort after initially attempting to stay on the field. While he eventually walked off with trainers, initial reports indicated the injury was not overly serious, and his presence one day later serves as confirmation. Thomas disappointed with a WR43 fantasy finish a season ago after bursting onto the scene as the WR4 as a rookie in 2024, but he has reportedly put in serious work to clean up some of the finer details of his game and has enjoyed a strong training camp as a result. While Parker Washington has drawn most of the headlines out of Jaguars' camp, Thomas could still be argued to have the highest weekly ceiling, making him a potential bargain for risk-tolerant drafters, currently coming off the board as the WR32.


Deebo Samuel Sr. vs. Brian Thomas Jr.

Still trying to decide between Samuel Sr. and Thomas Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Deebo Samuel Sr. is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brian Thomas Jr. is projected to score 10.3 points.