Who Should I Start? Dontayvion Wicks or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Sunday, August 3, 2:42 PM

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) was not able to participate during Saturday's practice. It's worth noting that Wicks missed practice time earlier in the week due to a calf issue. It's unclear if Saturday's absence was a planned rest day or if Wicks couldn't participate due to the injury. The absence of Wicks meant more snaps for Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, and Malik Heath. Last season, Wicks saw a career-high 76 targets, but finished with 39 receptions for 415 receiving yards with five touchdowns in 17 games. The addition of Golden is going to make it more difficult for Wicks to see consistent snaps in Green Bay. Right now, the focus is getting Wicks back on the field, so fantasy managers should check back later on Sunday.

Wednesday, August 6, 12:06 PM

On the Las Vegas Raiders' first unofficial depth chart of the preseason, they've listed rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. as a starter opposite Jakobi Meyers. Thornton has impressed all season leading into his first year in the NFL and continues to get reps with the first-team offense during training camp. With the Raiders expected to play their starters in their preseason opener this Thursday against the Seattle Seahawks, we should see the 22-year-old get some run with quarterback Geno Smith for a series or two. So far, Thornton has been more impressive than Jack Bech, and he could operate as Smith's top deep threat down the field in 2025. Thornton averaged an impressive 25.4 yards per catch in his final season at Tennessee and could be worth a late-round flier in deep fantasy leagues. RotoBaller has him ranked as the WR78.