Who Should I Start? Robert Woods or Adam Thielen

Monday, April 28, 10:25 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran free-agent wide receiver Robert Woods to a one-year, $2 million deal on Monday, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Woods will give the Steelers a new target and a strong locker-room presence for whoever end up being their starting quarterback in 2025. The 33-year-old former Super Bowl champion will be competing for a roster spot in training camp this summer as receiving depth behind starters DK Metcalf and George Pickens. Even if Woods were able to somehow beat out the likes of Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson for the WR3 job in Pittsburgh, he's probably not going to be attractive in most fantasy leagues given the team's QB situation. The former second-rounder by the Buffalo Bills in 2013 out of USC only mustered 20 catches for 203 yards and no touchdowns in 15 games (four starts) for the Houston Texans in 2024.

Friday, May 2, 12:02 PM

Carolina Panthers veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he talked with his family, and they wanted him to play in 2025. He plans to go through a similar process after this season, which is the final year of his contract. Depending on how the 34-year-old feels and what his family thinks after the 2025 campaign, Thielen could hang up his cleats and retire. He's returning for a third season in Carolina after playing in a career-low 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. In those 10 games, he caught 48 of his 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns. He should continue to be a trusted weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young out of the slot this year, but the addition of first-round rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan will surely make Thielen harder to trust as a WR3/flex in fantasy based on volume alone like he was in 2023, when he recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career on 103 targets.