Who Should I Start? Luke McCaffrey or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Tuesday, December 16, 12:50 PM

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said he doesn't expect wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (collarbone) to be activated from Injured Reserve for the final three weeks of the season, according to Ben Standig. McCaffrey suffered a broken collarbone in the Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and won't be back in 2025. The 24-year-old former third-round pick in 2024 out of Rice will finish his second year in the NFL with 11 catches on 15 targets for 203 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. McCaffrey averaged a healthy 18.5 yards per reception as a deep threat down the field for quarterbacks Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Marcus Mariota, but for fantasy purposes, he was much too inconsistent to trust in starting lineups in most leagues. McCaffrey will be looking to become a more consistent part of Washington's offense in his third year in the league in 2026.

Friday, December 12, 9:24 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (concussion) won't carry an injury designation into Sunday's Week 15 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Thornton was limited in practice to begin the week, but has been cleared to suit up after two straight full practice sessions. He's back in the mix after sitting out due to a concussion during last week's loss to the Denver Broncos. When healthy, Thornton is unlikely to be a significant contributor in what has been a bad Raiders offense. The 23-year-old has only eight receptions for 123 yards in 11 games this season. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help ahead of Vegas' tough road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.