Who Should I Start? Demarcus Robinson or Adam Thielen

Friday, June 13, 12:08 PM

It sounds like San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson took advantage of Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) sitting out of offseason workouts this spring. The 30-year-old filled in nicely as the reliable veteran, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Robinson isn't flashy but is well-versed in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense after spending the last two years with the Los Angeles Rams, which made him a frequent and trusted target for quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The former fourth-rounder (126th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 out of Florida is basically an insurance policy for Aiyuk this year. While he's getting extra reps now with three starting wideouts sidelined, Robinson isn't likely to see the field enough during the regular season as long as Jennings and Pearsall are ready for Week 1.

Friday, May 2, 12:02 PM

Carolina Panthers veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he talked with his family, and they wanted him to play in 2025. He plans to go through a similar process after this season, which is the final year of his contract. Depending on how the 34-year-old feels and what his family thinks after the 2025 campaign, Thielen could hang up his cleats and retire. He's returning for a third season in Carolina after playing in a career-low 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. In those 10 games, he caught 48 of his 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns. He should continue to be a trusted weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young out of the slot this year, but the addition of first-round rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan will surely make Thielen harder to trust as a WR3/flex in fantasy based on volume alone like he was in 2023, when he recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career on 103 targets.