Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or John FitzPatrick

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.

Wednesday, November 26, 5:30 PM

Green Bay Packers tight end John FitzPatrick has seen his opportunity with the Packers grow as of late, but is still a player to leave out of fantasy lineups when the Packers head to Detroit to take on the Lions on Thanksgiving. FitzPatrick has supplanted Luke Musgrave in terms of snap share and routes over the last two weeks for the Packers. Despite the increased snaps in the 60 percent range in each of the last two weeks for Green Bay, it's only turned into a combined two receptions and 16 yards on two targets. FitzPatrick's role is not as a receiver, so expecting fantasy production out of the Packers' tight end may not be realistic. Leave FitzPatrick off of your fantasy rosters when the Packers play the Lions on Thanksgiving in Week 13.