Who Should I Start? Elic Ayomanor or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Monday, December 29, 9:14 PM

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor tied for the team lead in receptions and targets during Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints. The rookie wideout hauled in four of his seven targets for 37 yards and snagged a touchdown in the defeat. Ayomanor has seen his role in the offense increase with the Titans down a few wideouts due to injuries to close out the season. Over the last two games, Ayomanor has secured seven receptions for 95 yards and one score. He figures to continue getting the ball thrown his way in the Week 18 regular-season finale. There's not great upside here, but Ayomanor should at least offer deep-league value for the final game against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:25 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. has had a quiet rookie season, recording 10 catches (29 targets) for 135 yards and zero touchdowns in 14 games. Thornton earned steady playing time out of the gate -- 61.8% of the snaps over the first five weeks -- and drew at least two targets in each game. Known for his speed and big-play ability as a prospect, he showcased his explosiveness for the Raiders in the first three games of his career, hauling in five of his 12 targets for 94 yards. The Tennessee product posted a 25% explosive-catch rate, tied for the highest in the league among receivers with at least 12 targets during that span. The rookie fourth-rounder's snaps eventually faded, beginning in Week 11, where he played on only 38.3% of snaps and gradually declined every week until bottoming out to 7.4% in Week 16. However, in Week 17, with the Raiders competing for the No. 1 overall pick, Thornton's snaps spiked to 78%. He recorded just two catches (four targets) for 12 yards, but he had his most receptions and targets in a game since Week 3. Looking to 2026, Thornton profiles as a big-play threat who is unlikely to be a consistent producer week to week.