Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Brian Thomas Jr.

Friday, July 25, 3:28 PM

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring) has suffered a mild left-hamstring strain, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. Lewis reports that the team plans to be "really cautious" with its star receiver, but does not relay any sort of timeline for his return to practice. Jefferson missed seven games with an injury to his right hamstring back in 2023, so there's a history of soft-tissue injuries in his lower body. The 26-year-old is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, coming off a season in which he recorded 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns. His presence on the field is critical to the success of Minnesota's offense and first-year starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy. It's too early to say that Jefferson is at risk of missing any significant time, but the Vikings are already likely facing an early-season suspension for their WR2, Jordan Addison.

Tuesday, July 15, 6:05 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. burst onto the NFL scene last year after being taken with the No. 23 overall pick out of LSU. Even on a bad team with spotty quarterback play, Thomas managed to catch 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games (16 starts). The Athletic's Jeff Howe thinks that if the Trevor Lawrence-Liam Coen pairing works out the way it's envisioned, Thomas could be even better. Rookie first-round wideout Travis Hunter will be on the other side of the field drawing attention away from Thomas, too. It's not a stretch to think that Thomas could become a household name in his sophomore season in 2025, which is why RotoBaller has him ranked as a top-10 fantasy pass-catcher. The 22-year-old had si straight games with at least 10 targets and 76 yards a year ago.