Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Brian Thomas Jr.

Thursday, January 8, 12:08 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen was the team's leading receiver in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos and he caught seven passes, his most since a season-high 11 grabs back on Oct. 19. However, Allen had just 36 yards on Sunday with backup quarterback Trey Lance getting the starting nod with the Bolts resting Justin Herbert. The week prior, the 33-year-old Allen had just one catch for 17 yards in the loss to the Houston Texans. Allen has not scored since Week 7 and hasn't gone over 50 receiving yards in a contest since Week 11 against the Jaguars. He is a trustworthy security blanket for Herbert, the problem is that L.A.'s beat-up offensive line doesn't give Herbert much time to find his receivers. All of the Chargers' wideouts are shaky fantasy options going into the postseason against a Patriots defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest half-PPR points per game to WRs in the last five weeks.

Saturday, January 31, 5:22 AM

After topping 1,200 receiving yards and recording 10 touchdown catches as a rookie in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was expected to fully emerge as an elite player at his position in 2025. However, the 23-year-old battled through both injury and underperformance this past season, recording just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns on 91 targets across 14 games played. As the season progressed, Thomas Jr. appeared to fall behind Jaguars wideouts Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington on the team's pass-catching pecking order. Including the postseason, Thomas Jr. recorded fewer than five receptions in each of his final nine games of the year. Heading into 2026, the Jaguars' wide receiver depth chart will get even more crowded by wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter's (knee) return from injury. Thomas Jr. could re-emerge as the lead wideout in Jacksonville in 2026. However, his stock in both redraft and dynasty fantasy formats has taken a hit after his disappointing 2025 campaign.