Who Should I Start? Michael Thomas or DJ Moore

Wednesday, September 11, 8:40 PM

The National Football League on Wednesday announced that it has lifted the suspension of free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas. Thomas was suspended for the first game of the 2024 NFL season for an incident with a construction worker near his home last year. The fact that the 31-year-old remained without a team all offseason is a sign that he may struggle to latch on with an organization despite the fact that he's past his one-game suspension. Just several years ago, Thomas was the best receiver in the league, but injuries have limited him to 20 games since the start of the 2020 campaign, and he played in just 10 games with the New Orleans Saints last year before a knee injury ended his season. He caught 39 passes for 448 yards and one touchdown in 2023. Thomas belongs on the waiver wire in all leagues and is unlikely to be on the fantasy radar in 2024.

Friday, September 12, 11:17 PM

Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore had an up-and-down season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, catching three of five targets for 68 yards while adding three carries for eight yards on the ground. Moore had chances for a bigger day, including a potential touchdown that Caleb Williams overthrew and a missed fourth-down conversion where Moore was open across the middle. What's more concerning is that Moore trailed second-year receiver Rome Odunze in snap count, target share, and route participation, a trend worth monitoring in the future. Still, Week 2 brings a favorable matchup against the Detroit Lions, who allowed the most receiving yards to wideouts in 2024. Moore has historically thrived against Detroit, posting at least six catches and 60 yards, along with scoring a touchdown in three of his last four meetings. Moore enters this NFC North showdown as a high-end WR3 with upside, especially if Williams can connect on the opportunities that slipped away in Week 1.