Who Should I Start? Devaughn Vele or Dont'e Thornton 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 |
Devaughn Vele News
Tuesday, May 5, 7:46 AM
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele entered this offseason as one of the biggest sleepers in dynasty fantasy football. In his final four games of 2025, Vele had caught 19 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 12.2 points per game in PPR leagues during that span, ranking as the overall WR21. It seemed like he might be a breakout candidate in 2026, but that trajectory came crashing down as the Saints added two receivers in the NFL Draft. Now, Vele is behind Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson on the depth chart, and he could also end up behind rookie Bryce Lance, who has the speed necessary to fill a Rashid Shaheed-esque role in New Orleans. It's a disappointing development for managers who acquired Vele at a low cost this offseason. With that said, he's still worth holding in deeper leagues, as he's proven that he can handle volume. This Saints' offense is quickly trending up, so he could still get onto the WR3/flex radar if Olave or Tyson were to miss any time.
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 |
Dont'e Thornton Jr. News
Sunday, March 29, 8:41 AM
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. struggled to establish himself as a rookie. Across 15 games (eight starts), the 23-year-old recorded just 10 catches for 135 yards and zero touchdowns on 30 targets. However, Thornton Jr. should have a significantly improved offensive ecosystem around him in Las Vegas in 2026. The Raiders hired former Seattle Seahawks play-caller Klint Kubiak as their new head coach and are also widely expected to select University of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft. Additionally, the Las Vegas wide receiver depth chart currently looks like an open competition for playing time between incumbents Thornton Jr., Jack Bech, and Tre Tucker, as well as free agent additions Jalen Nailor and Dareke Young. Thornton Jr. did not show much reason for optimism as a rookie, so fantasy managers should proceed with caution. However, he also stands out as a buy-low candidate who could likely be acquired on the cheap after his underwhelming 2025 campaign.
Devaughn Vele vs. Dont'e Thornton Jr.
Still trying to decide between Vele and Thornton Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Devaughn Vele is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Dont'e Thornton Jr. is projected to score 0.0 points.
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