Brian Thomas Jr.: trade belief grows after Jaguars benching
THE FACT. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Saturday that belief around the league has grown that Jacksonville will move receiver Brian Thomas Jr. before the Nov. 10 deadline, after a benching and a shrinking role. Nothing has been agreed and the Jaguars have announced no move. Per Jaguars Wire's account of Pelissero's reporting, Thomas played 15 snaps in Week 6 against Houston, has no catches over his last two games, and sits at nine receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown this season. Coach Liam Coen said Monday he still has confidence in him.
THE VERDICT. Redraft: he is not startable at this usage, so bench him and hold only if your bench has room. A trade is the only path back to relevance this season, and it would be worth chasing the moment a destination is confirmed. Dynasty: buy the dip now. He is a 2024 first-round talent whose price has collapsed on role, not on ability, and the discount disappears the day he lands somewhere that targets him. DFS: fade until a new team is official.
The dynasty call is the one I can't get to. Buying the dip assumes the dip is about role, but this is two straight years of the same slide: 87 catches for 1,282 yards as a rookie, then 48 on 91 targets the next season, now nine grabs on 20 targets with none in his last two games. That isn't one bad scheme fit. And a receiver landing in a new playbook in November almost never fixes it before January. The rumor is the high point on his price, not the low. I'm shipping him while somebody still pays for the pedigree.