Who Should I Start? Kristian Wilkerson or Tyquan Thornton

Saturday, August 24, 10:36 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson made a solid impression in the Raiders' preseason finale, snagging three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown in Friday's 24-24 tie to the San Francisco 49ers. While this performance boosts his chances of making the final roster, fantasy managers should temper their expectations. Even if Wilkerson secures a spot, he's likely to be no higher than fifth or sixth on the depth chart. In the Raiders' offense, this translates to minimal regular-season opportunities, barring multiple injuries ahead of him. His preseason touchdown showcases some red-zone potential, but Wilkerson's fantasy relevance will be severely limited with established targets like Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers ahead of him. At best, he's a name to remember for deep dynasty leagues or as a potential in-season waiver wire option if injuries decimate the Raiders' receiving corps. For now, Wilkerson remains off the radar in all but the deepest of fantasy formats.

Monday, November 18, 4:33 PM

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad on Monday, according to a source. The former second-rounder in 2022 out of Baylor will now get another opportunity with the defending Super Bowl champions after the Patriots waived him on Saturday. The 24-year-old caught 35 of his 68 targets for 338 yards and two touchdowns in 22 games (12 starts) in his first two years in New England before catching just four passes on eight targets for 47 yards in six games with the Patriots this year. Thornton certainly has some more intrigue in KC, but it remains to be seen if he can work his way into a big enough role down the stretch for the Chiefs. As things stand now, the Chiefs have a receiving corps that includes DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie Xavier Worthy, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson.