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


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
12.6 0.1 0.0 4.3 58.6 0.4

Terry McLaurin News

Terry McLaurin Has Clear Top-10 Upside if Injury Bug Stays Away

Monday, August 31, 8:14 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin possesses the talent needed to be a top-10 receiver in fantasy football, and he's looking to shake off an ugly 2025 season marred by injuries. McLaurin caught 38 passes for 582 yards and three touchdowns across 10 games last year. He missed seven contests and quarterback Jayden Daniels missed 10 contests; they were on the field together for just three games. If both can stay healthy for most of the 2026 season, McLaurin should have no trouble re-establishing himself as a top-18 fantasy receiver, and perhaps even getting back to the WR1 range. Washington did sign Stefon Diggs in free agency, but McLaurin is clearly the No. 1 receiver here. In fact, Diggs' presence may actually help McLaurin by luring away cornerbacks, or at least reducing the rate at which McLaurin sees double coverage. We're very excited about the upside of McLaurin, who is somewhat of a steal at his current ADP of 53.0.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.3 1.0 0.0 3.4 51.1 0.3

Brian Thomas Jr. News

Brian Thomas Jr. a Full-Go in Tuesday's Practice

Wednesday, September 2, 5:57 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) was a full-go in Tuesday's practice as he prepares for Week 1's matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Thomas fell awkwardly on his shoulder during a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but head coach Liam Coen expressed no concern about his availability for the regular season. After a monster rookie season in 2024, Thomas struggled, hauling in just 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, dropping from 14.1 points per game to 8.2 in 2025. Now with Parker Washington having a great camp and Jakobi Meyers still expected to receive volume, Thomas is a far riskier option in 2026.


Terry McLaurin vs. Brian Thomas Jr.

Still trying to decide between McLaurin and Thomas Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Terry McLaurin is projected to score 12.6 points this week while Brian Thomas Jr. is projected to score 10.3 points.