Who Should I Start? Kayshon Boutte or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Monday, January 26, 4:36 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, along with the rest of the offense, struggled to do much in poor conditions during a snowstorm in the 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday in the AFC Championship. Boutte was tied with receiver Stefon Diggs for the team lead in targets (six), but he hauled in just one of them for six yards. Mack Hollins, who came off Injured Reserve last week, led the Patriots with 51 receiving yards on only two catches. Quarterback Drake Maye went 10-for-21 passing for only 86 yards, with neither team really able to move the ball much in the second half after snow started to fall heavily. In the first two playoff games, the 23-year-old Boutte caught seven of his nine targets for 141 yards and a touchdown in wins over the Chargers and Texans. He was a disappointment against Denver, but he should be able to bounce back nicely in the Super Bowl in two weeks versus the Seahawks.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:25 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. has had a quiet rookie season, recording 10 catches (29 targets) for 135 yards and zero touchdowns in 14 games. Thornton earned steady playing time out of the gate -- 61.8% of the snaps over the first five weeks -- and drew at least two targets in each game. Known for his speed and big-play ability as a prospect, he showcased his explosiveness for the Raiders in the first three games of his career, hauling in five of his 12 targets for 94 yards. The Tennessee product posted a 25% explosive-catch rate, tied for the highest in the league among receivers with at least 12 targets during that span. The rookie fourth-rounder's snaps eventually faded, beginning in Week 11, where he played on only 38.3% of snaps and gradually declined every week until bottoming out to 7.4% in Week 16. However, in Week 17, with the Raiders competing for the No. 1 overall pick, Thornton's snaps spiked to 78%. He recorded just two catches (four targets) for 12 yards, but he had his most receptions and targets in a game since Week 3. Looking to 2026, Thornton profiles as a big-play threat who is unlikely to be a consistent producer week to week.