Who Should I Start? Mack Hollins or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Friday, January 30, 2:45 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report of the week, according to the team. Hollins was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before upgrading to a full session on Friday. The Patriots still have another week before they face off with the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 8. Hollins, who was activated from Injured Reserve last week, should be fine to play by then. The 32-year-old veteran caught both of his targets for a team-high 51 yards in the 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship in his first game back from IR. Hollins won't be expected to stand out in the big game against Seattle after he caught 46 of his 65 passes for 550 yards and only two touchdowns in 15 regular-season contests.

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.