Who Should I Start? Jaylin Noel or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Tuesday, October 7, 9:59 PM

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel had the best game of his young NFL career in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, recording two catches for 13 yards and a touchdown on three targets. Noel has played a limited role so far this season, logging just five catches for 23 yards and a score on seven targets across five games. Noel has also yet to play more than 31% of the Texans' offensive snaps in any games and currently appears buried on the wide receiver depth chart behind Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Christian Kirk. The 23-year-old Noel has some long-term appeal and could be a stash candidate in deep redraft leagues. Still, in the short term, he's a long shot to provide consistent fantasy production.

Saturday, October 4, 6:47 PM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. has yet to establish a consistent role in the team's offense, and his opportunities continue to dwindle as the Raiders shift toward heavier two-tight-end formations. In Week 4 against the Bears, Thornton saw just two targets and failed to record a catch, marking another quiet outing for the rookie. With Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker entrenched as the primary receivers and fellow rookie Jack Bech beginning to see occasional involvement, Thornton has fallen further down the depth chart. Until his target share increases or his role expands, fantasy managers can safely move on from Thornton in all formats. He remains a developmental stash at best, with little short-term fantasy appeal.