Brian Thomas — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Thomas spent two quiet seasons at LSU (28 catches, 359 yards, and two TDs; then 31 catches, 361 yards, and 5 TDs) before breaking out in 2023 when given a larger role. He made the most of it (68 receptions for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns), averaging a gaudy 17.3 yards per catch. He topped 100 yards in six of his 13 starts, with performances like 7/142/1, 8/124/3, and 6/150/2 showing off his big-play ability. The comp that comes to mind is somewhere between Mike Williams and Randy Moss.

His rookie season in Jacksonville was a tale of two halves. Over his first 11 games, targets were inconsistent (five or fewer in five of those starts), but he still flashed in two games (5/122/1 and 5/87/1). He averaged 12.98 fantasy points per game over that stretch, putting him in mid-tier WR2 territory in PPR formats.

Then the Jaguars featured him in their passing game. Jacksonville gave Thomas double-digit targets in each of his final six games, and he delivered a high floor every week (4/87/1, 10/105/2, 9/132/1, and 7/109/1), averaging 22.98 FPPG over that closing run. He finished the season with 87 catches on 133 targets for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, good for fourth in PPR wide receiver scoring (284.00 points).

Thomas battled injuries all season, starting with a wrist injury in mid-September, followed by shoulder and ankle issues (three missed games). His catch rate (52.7%) was much weaker than in 2024 (65.4%), while posting a higher value of 14.7 yards per catch (14.7). Thomas was only an edge in Week 6 (8/90/1), with one other playable outcome (4/66/1).

As bad as he was in 2025, Thomas finished 42nd in PPR fantasy points (138.80), with three games with no stats. I expect him to gain value in drafts as the summer moves on. I see a WR2 profile (70/1,000/7), with explosive potential in multiple games, even with more competition for targets.