Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Irv Smith Jr.

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.

Tuesday, August 26, 11:41 AM

Houston Texans tight end Irv Smith Jr. (ankle) has suffered an ankle sprain that could lead to him being placed on injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. The Texans already lost some talent at the position earlier this summer when Brevin Jordan (knee) went down with a serious knee injury. Without Smith Jr. and Jordan, 2024 fourth-rounder Cade Stover and recent trade acquisition Harrison Bryant make up the depth behind top tight end Dalton Schultz. Schultz is a low-upside TE2 in fantasy, but his playing time in Houston may be a bit more secure now than it was when the preseason began.