Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Noah Fant

Saturday, September 7, 1:42 PM

The Carolina Panthers placed tight end Ian Thomas (calf) on Injured Reserve on Saturday after already ruling him out for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. In addition to putting Thomas on IR, the team also waived cornerback Keenan Isaac and signed tight end Feleipe Franks and defensive tackle Jayden Peevy to the active 53-man roster from the practice squad. Thomas will now miss at least the first four weeks of the 2024 season after being sidelined since early in training camp with a calf injury. Tommy Tremble (back, hamstring) has already been ruled out for Week 1 as well, so Carolina is entering the regular season already thin at the TE position, meaning rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders will mostly likely be thrust into the top pass-catching role right away.

Wednesday, October 30, 9:32 PM

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (groin) was officially listed as limited on Wednesday's practice report. The groin injury is new for the sixth-year tight end, as he presumably sustained it sometime between Sunday and today (Wednesday), though exactly when it occurred is unclear. Fant played his typical snap percentage in the team's 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. That he could practice in a limited capacity is good news for his chances of suiting up on Sunday when Seattle hosts the visiting Los Angeles Rams. The 26-year-old's injury doesn't seem serious; still, it's worth mentioning that fellow TEs AJ Barner and Pharaoh Brown have picked up more snaps in recent weeks. If he can't go, the aforementioned duo figures to split work, with a slight advantage to Barner. If Fant can play, he still won't be a recommended fantasy option.