Who Should I Start? Jalen Royals or Zavion Thomas

Saturday, May 2, 6:01 AM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Zavion Thomas, one of the fastest players in the 2026 class, was viewed by some as an intriguing late-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts, expected to fall to late-Day 3 in the NFL Draft. However, with the Bears spending third-round capital and making him the 16th receiver off the board, there's now a strong chance he will be overdrafted in those same rookie drafts. Thomas' speed and versatility are likely what drew Ben Johnson to him, but on a depth chart consisting of Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and tight end Colston Loveland, all of whom are under 24 years old, it's difficult to envision Thomas in anything more than a gadget role in either the here and now or foreseeable future. He never topped 502 receiving yards or four touchdowns in any of his four seasons at Mississippi State or LSU, and his career 1.58 yards per route run was one of the lowest marks in the class. Thomas has seen his value spike since the NFL Draft, but with no history or clear path toward repeatable production, he profiles as a frustrating end-of-roster player in any non-best-ball format.