Who Should I Start? Terry McLaurin or Brian Thomas Jr.

Friday, February 13, 8:22 AM

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough said that he wants wide receiver Terry McLaurin to get at least 10 targets per game. "This thing's going to be built around how do we get Terry 10 targets a game and get him explosive receptions after explosive receptions to kind of flip the field," Blough told WUSA9's John Doran. That's an aggressive goal to set, especially when stated publicly. McLaurin averaged just six targets per game in 2025, albeit with an inconsistent quarterback mix of Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, and Josh Johnson. Furthermore, he posted double-digit targets just once: in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos, with Mariota as his quarterback. Daniels is due back from an elbow injury in time for the 2026 season opener, which is a good sign for McLaurin's volume. The 30-year-old receiver averaged 11.4 full-PPR points per game last season and should rank as a mid-to-high WR2 ahead of 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Saturday, January 31, 5:22 AM

After topping 1,200 receiving yards and recording 10 touchdown catches as a rookie in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was expected to fully emerge as an elite player at his position in 2025. However, the 23-year-old battled through both injury and underperformance this past season, recording just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns on 91 targets across 14 games played. As the season progressed, Thomas Jr. appeared to fall behind Jaguars wideouts Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington on the team's pass-catching pecking order. Including the postseason, Thomas Jr. recorded fewer than five receptions in each of his final nine games of the year. Heading into 2026, the Jaguars' wide receiver depth chart will get even more crowded by wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter's (knee) return from injury. Thomas Jr. could re-emerge as the lead wideout in Jacksonville in 2026. However, his stock in both redraft and dynasty fantasy formats has taken a hit after his disappointing 2025 campaign.