Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Jackson Hawes

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.

Saturday, October 11, 2:49 PM

Buffalo Bills rookie tight end Jackson Hawes could see a small uptick in opportunities if Dalton Kincaid (oblique) is ruled out ahead of Monday night's matchup against Atlanta. The fifth-round pick has appeared in every game this season but has been used sparingly in the passing game, seeing just four targets through five weeks--hauling in all of them. While Hawes' strong blocking skills have earned him steady snaps, he remains a distant option in Buffalo's offensive pecking order. Even with a potential increase in playing time, his fantasy value is negligible, and he should be avoided in all formats unless his role expands dramatically in the coming weeks.