On August 1, our fantasy football draft guide will be released both as a physical book (available on Amazon) and as a free PDF to Fantasy Consigliere members. Following up previews at quarterback and running back over the past two days, below is a preview for wide receiver.

7. Brian Thomas Jr., JAX

2024 statistics: 87 REC, 1,282 YDS, 10 TD | 6 ATT, 48 YDS

2025 projections: 88 REC, 1,302 YDS, 11 TD | 5 ATT, 48 YDS

 

Like everyone else, we obviously had Thomas ranked far too low last season—but hopefully enough readers of the 2024 guide picked up on his potential to take him earlier based on the line discussing our pre-draft scouting report: “The comparison was too lofty to put on him, but Thomas—in terms of play style—has some similarities to all-time great wide receiver Randy Moss”. Although Moss is still too high of praise for anyone to be given a direct, one-for-one comparison, Thomas showed his freakish ability as a rookie with a 17-game pace of 70 receptions, 1,218 receiving yards, and 10.6 receiving touchdowns across the first two months; and then he really became a featured player with double-digit targets in each of the final six weeks (after no such games with 10+ targets before that)—averaging 7.5 receptions and 98.8 receiving yards with five touchdowns to close the season. Keep in mind that the production/target boost came with Mac Jones under center, but there will arguably be even more upside with Trevor Lawrence healthy this year, and Thomas had 11.7 yards per target across his first eight games as a rookie.