Who Should I Start? Stefon Diggs or Adam Thielen

Friday, March 28, 4:14 PM

On Friday, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) noted that he's excited to play with quarterback Drake Maye. "I'm excited. I really look forward to it," Diggs said. The Maryland product was productive in eight games with the Houston Texans in 2024 before an ACL tear derailed his season. Now, he's set to boost the Patriots' passing game and is reportedly on track to be ready for Week 1. New England's leading receiver a season ago was tight end Hunter Henry (66-674-2), so the 31-year-old enters a favorable situation to garner a significant target share right away if he's healthy. The Patriots have somewhat bolstered their offensive line in free agency but still have some work to do in that aspect. If their front is addressed, affording Maye more time to operate, Diggs could again provide value as a PPR asset, barring a setback in his recovery.

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.