Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Jake Tonges

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, September 16, 12:06 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges had four receptions for 31 yards in Sunday's 26-21 win over the New Orleans Saints. While Tonges was the hero of Week 1, catching the go-ahead touchdown near the end of the game, Luke Farrell was San Francisco's starting tight end in Week 2. Farrell ended up with a short touchdown, but Tonges had the edge in targets (five to Farrell's three), receptions (four to two), and snap share (78% to 59%). George Kittle's (hamstring) absence opens the door for another tight end to produce for the 49ers, but the timeshare exhibited in Week 2 limits Tonges' appeal going into Week 3.