Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Michael Thomas

Friday, September 6, 5:46 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) will debut in the Windy City this Sunday against a significantly revamped Tennessee Titans secondary. Allen is expected to be utilized in various roles, with his most significant impact likely coming from the slot, where he received nearly half of his targets in 2023. The Titans will probably match him against Roger McCreary, creating an intriguing clash between experience and youth. Given that L'Jarius Sneed will be focused on covering the outside, Allen should have ample opportunities, provided he is healthy. However, Allen has been dealing with a heel injury, described by GM Ryan Poles as a "cleat issue," and was limited in practice this week. While Allen could serve as a solid flex option for those who drafted him for that role, the combination of his injury and the adjustment to a new team might make it wise to consider alternative options for this week.

Friday, August 30, 6:15 PM

The NFL suspended free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas (knee) for the first week of the 2024 regular season for violating the league's personal-conduct policy related to an incident with a construction worker from last fall. Things continue to get worse for Thomas, who was the best receiver in the NFL as recent as 2019. While it's only a one-game suspension, it's not going to help the 31-year-old veteran's cause as he looks to find a new team for the 2024 season. He was cut by the New Orleans Saints back in March after catching 39 of his 64 targets for 448 yards and just one touchdown. A knee injury limited Thomas to only 10 games (seven starts), and he hasn't played in over 10 games in a season since his All-Pro campaign in 2019. Even if Thomas does land with another team, he will merely be competing for a depth role.