Who Should I Start? Will Dissly or Ian Thomas

Monday, March 11, 5:53 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers are signing former Seattle Seahawks tight end Will Dissly to a three-year, $14 million deal with $10 million fully guaranteed in the first two years on Monday, according to a source. Veteran Gerald Everett is a free agent, so Dissly has a chance to come to LA in 2024 and play a meaningful role as both a pass-catcher and blocker in head coach Jim Harbaugh's first season in his return to the NFL. The 27-year-old Dissly was a former fourth-round selection in 2018 by Seattle out of Washington, and he caught 127 passes for 1,421 yards and 13 touchdowns in his six years with the Seahawks. Last year, Dissly had just 17 receptions for 172 yards and one score, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be much more than a touchdown-dependent tight end streamer in his new home with the Bolts.

Tuesday, June 25, 4:34 PM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas has been far from a mega-producer since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2018, but it can take many years for players to break out at the position, and he's reportedly flashed this offseason. "Much was made about the upgrade at tight end when the Panthers selected Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders in the fourth round, but it has been 2018 fourth-rounder [Ian] Thomas who has stolen the spotlight at a position that is featured in Dave Canales' passing game," Panthers reporter David Newton wrote. Thomas caught just five passes last season and hasn't matched his 333-yard rookie campaign over the last five seasons, but if Bryce Young takes a step forward, he could have at least some value in deep tight-end premium leagues. Sanders is a fun rookie prospect, but he's far from a sure thing, and it's rare for rookie tight ends to flourish.