Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Blake Whiteheart

Tuesday, March 25, 1:32 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Tuesday that they signed free-agent tight end Ian Thomas (calf) to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Thomas will head to the AFC West after spending the first seven years of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers after they selected him in the fourth round (101st overall) in the 2018 NFL draft out of Indiana. The 28-year-old never really established himself as a fantasy asset in Carolina, with his best season coming in his rookie campaign with a 36-333-2 line on 49 targets in 16 games (six starts). Thomas landed on Injured Reserve in 2024 with a calf injury and only caught three of six targets for seven yards in five games (two starts). He scored four touchdowns in his first three seasons but hasn't found the end zone since. In Vegas, he'll provide TE depth behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and will remain off the fantasy radar.

Monday, April 7, 7:38 PM

Exclusive-rights free-agent tight end Blake Whiteheart signed his tender offer from the Cleveland Browns on Monday and will officially return to the team in 2025. Whiteheart will head into his second season in Cleveland after catching six of nine targets for 51 yards and one touchdown in 11 games (two starts) in 2024. The 25-year-old once again won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar as he provides depth at the position for the Browns behind starter David Njoku. He went undrafted out of Wake Forest and began his NFL career in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals, but he didn't receive a single target in two games played that year. In addition to Njoku and Whiteheart, the Browns also have Brenden Bates and Tre'McKitty on the TE depth chart this offseason.