Shark Bites are the latest fantasy football news & NFL updates. Draft Sharks has been in business since 1999. And when we started, redraft was the dominant form of fantasy football. Check out what we've learned about this most basic form of fantasy football along the way.
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. The fact that he was out there at all seemingly gives him a good chance to play vs. the Eagles this weekend, but we'll keep you updated on the rookie's status. WR Gabe Davis (shoulder) was also limited on Wednesday.
Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said Monday that WR Brian Thomas Jr. is "day to day" with a contusion on the left side of his chest. An MRI showed no additional damage. It's much better news than ESPN's Jeremy Fowler's report earlier today. Pederson added that Thomas Jr. has "a chance" to play vs. the Eagles on Sunday. We'll track his status throughout this week.
Shortly after ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. might miss 2-4 weeks, ESPN Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco updated (countered?) the report with better news. According to DiRocco, Thomas is hoping to get back onto the field this week.
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. "could" miss 2-4 weeks with the chest/rib injury he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Packers, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "Scans today will determine full extent and next steps, though," Fowler adds. "Thomas is also getting a second opinion." We'll look for further updates on the rookie's status, but fantasy owners should at least prepare to be without him for Week 9. The Jaguars have a Week 12 bye, so the longer end of Fowler's timeline could have Thomas out until Week 14. For now, he's worth keeping stashed on all fantasy benches.
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas is questionable to return to Sunday's game vs. the Packers with a chest injury. Trainers were working on his rib area on the sidelines. We'll update his status when we know more.
Rookie Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. caught all 5 targets for 89 yards and a TD. He also had two carries for 2 yards. His beautiful 58-yard TD catch showcased the rookies upside, and he will be the Jaguars WR1 moving forward.
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. snagged an 85-yard catch-and-run TD in Sunday's victory over the Colts. That play drove his 5-122-1 line, the first 100-yard game of his career. WR Christian Kirk drew just 4 targets but caught them all for 88 yards. WR Gabe Davis also threw 4 targets, catching three for 38 yards and losing a fumble.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence labored through a Week 2 loss vs. Cleveland. Lawrence posted 220 scoreless yards, while the Jags offense totaled one TD. At one point, the Jags went 11 straight possessions (starting in Week 1) without a score.
Jacksonville's preseason opener found WR Christian Kirk excluded from two-WR sets. The Jaguars opened Saturday's game against the Chiefs with Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. as the WRs in "12" personnel (two TEs) for the first two plays. Kirk entered for three-WR sets and ultimately played seven snaps vs. nine for Thomas and Davis. (QB Trevor Lawrence played nine as well.) Thomas and Davis ran five routes to Kirk's four. Davis drew the only two WR targets before the first team left.
Jaguars first-round WR Brian Thomas Jr. has reportedly struggled a bit at the start of training camp. "Maybe he's just on a rookie learning curve, but the Jaguars' first-round wide receiver has yet to make an impact through three days of team drills," writes Zach Goodall of Jaguars Wire.
The Jaguars and QB Trevor Lawrence agreed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with $200 million guaranteed, ESPN reports. Lawrence now ranks second in the NFL in average annual salary and fourth in guaranteed money. The extension tacks on to the final two years of his current contract, meaning that Lawrence is now signed with the Jaguars through the 2030 season. He'll be 32 when the deal expires.
The Jaguars released WR Zay Jones, saving $4.18 million against the 2024 salary cap. This move was inevitable after Jacksonville took WR Brian Thomas in the first round of the draft -- after signing WR Gabriel Davis in free agency. Jones missed seven games with knee and hamstring injuries last year but caught 82 balls back in 2022. The 29-year-old can still help an NFL team, although Jones is not a good bet to be a major fantasy asset in 2024 or beyond.
The Jaguars drafted LSU WR Brian Thomas in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. After two relatively quiet seasons to open his college career, Thomas busted out as a junior this past year. He racked up 1,177 yards and an FBS-high 17 TDs on 68 receptions. The big-play machine averaged 17.3 yards per catch on a 13.9-yard average target depth. He hauled in 15 of 22 targets 20+ yards downfield for 670 yards and 12 TDs. The catches, yards, and TDs were all top-3 marks in the nation, and Thomas was one of 24 WRs to score a 99.9 PFF receiving grade on deep targets. With a 4.33-second 40 time, strong ball-tracking ability, and high-end ball skills, Thomas has all the tools to be a dominant deep-ball weapon in the NFL. He wasn’t nearly as productive on short and intermediate routes at LSU and needs to improve as a route runner to emerge as a No. 1 WR in the NFL. But his combination of size (6’3, 209 lbs.) and athleticism (9.84 RAS) gives him the potential to do so. Thomas should at least be a valuable best-ball asset as a rookie. But with Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram, and free-agent addition Gabe Davis rostered, the weekly floor figures to be low here. We’ll also see if Trevor Lawrence can improve after plateauing in 2023.
LSU WR Brian Thomas blazed a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Combine on Saturday -- second-fastest among the 30 WRs that ran. It certainly matches his pre-draft profile as a deep-ball weapon. Thomas averaged 17.3 yards per catch last year, with 15 of his 68 receptions coming 20+ yards downfield. He earned a 99.9 Pro Football Focus receiving grade on targets of 20+ yards. Thomas also registered a 36.5-inch vertical and 126-inch broad jump in Indianapolis. His 9.97 Relative Athletic Score is. the 10th-highest out of 3,063 WRs from 1987 to 2024. Thomas has been widely considered the No. 4 WR in this year's class and a potential top-20 pick. His Combine showing will only boost his draft stock.
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