Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Jace Sternberger

Tuesday, June 25, 4:34 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas has been far from a mega-producer since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2018, but it can take many years for players to break out at the position, and he's reportedly flashed this offseason. "Much was made about the upgrade at tight end when the Panthers selected Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders in the fourth round, but it has been 2018 fourth-rounder [Ian] Thomas who has stolen the spotlight at a position that is featured in Dave Canales' passing game," Panthers reporter David Newton wrote. Thomas caught just five passes last season and hasn't matched his 333-yard rookie campaign over the last five seasons, but if Bryce Young takes a step forward, he could have at least some value in deep tight-end premium leagues. Sanders is a fun rookie prospect, but he's far from a sure thing, and it's rare for rookie tight ends to flourish.

Sunday, August 27, 4:35 PM

The Buffalo Bills waived tight end Jace Sternberger on Sunday. The Packers drafted the 27-year-old in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, he appeared in only 18 games in Green Bay, catching 12 balls for 114 yards and a touchdown. Since then, he made brief stops in Seattle, Washington, and Pittsburgh before Buffalo signed him at the start of training camp. But nobody expected Sternberger to make the Week 1 roster, especially with Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid on the depth chart.