Who Should I Start? Trey McBride or Brian Thomas Jr.

Wednesday, February 11, 6:13 AM

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride earned first-team All-Pro honors after setting the all-time single-season reception record by a tight end in his banner 2025 season. Across 17 games, the 26-year-old recorded 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns on 169 targets. McBride was the number one scoring tight end in fantasy football in 2025, and given his age, he projects to continue his dominance for at least the next few seasons. The Cardinals are reportedly looking to trade quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason, which means McBride could be facing another season of uncertainty under center in Arizona. However, McBride proved he could be highly productive even with career backup Jacoby Brissett throwing him passes this past season. Heading into 2026, McBride looks like the clear fantasy TE1 in both redraft and dynasty formats.

Monday, February 23, 8:41 AM

After a Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was a big disappointment in his sophomore season, catching 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 regular-season games. Thomas had an impressive 87-1,282-10 line on 133 targets in 17 games as a rookie. ESPN's Michael DiRocco writes that Thomas' stats "may not reach what they were in 2024," but he should still be a key piece of head coach Liam Coen's offense in 2026. Beginning in Week 13 after he missed three games with an ankle injury, the Jags used Thomas more on the outside, and he was more productive the rest of the way. Travis Hunter will spend more time on defense next season, but the addition of Jakobi Meyers and the emergence of Parker Washington will ultimately cap Thomas' fantasy ceiling going into Year 3. The former first-rounder could improve on his 2025 numbers, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect a repeat of his rookie season.