Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Oronde Gadsden

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.

Friday, November 14, 6:14 PM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden is healthy heading into Week 11 despite suffering a knee contusion last week. Even though he left the game in the third quarter, Gadsden remains one of Justin Herbert's most trusted red-zone options, with 10 targets inside the 20-yard line over the past five games. The matchup this week is excellent, as the Jacksonville Jaguars rank 5th in receptions allowed and are tied for second in touchdowns allowed to tight ends. His combination of size (6'5") and red-zone usage makes Gadsden a reliable play. He is a confident mid-range TE1 with legitimate upside, projected as the TE4 this week.