Who Should I Start? DeVonta Smith or Brian Thomas Jr.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
13.4 0.1 0.0 4.8 63.7 0.4

DeVonta Smith News

DeVonta Smith Back to Full Participation

Monday, August 24, 9:22 AM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was a full participant Monday for the first time in three weeks, according to John Clark. Smith has been working his way back from a hamstring injury and was still limited during Philadelphia's joint practices with New England last week. Getting through a full practice is his biggest step yet with the regular season approaching. Smith played all 17 games last year and caught 77 passes for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns, giving him his third 1,000-yard season. He has missed a chunk of August, but Monday's workload suggests he's getting back up to speed after the layoff. With Smith now fully practicing again, the hamstring issue appears to be moving firmly in the right direction ahead of Week 1.


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.


DeVonta Smith vs. Brian Thomas Jr.

Still trying to decide between Smith and Thomas Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that DeVonta Smith is projected to score 13.4 points this week while Brian Thomas Jr. is projected to score 10.3 points.