Through four games, Brian Thomas Jr. posted 275 yards and two touchdowns. He is also averaging 13.75 Fantasy points per game. As it stands, Thomas starts in just 32% of snaps, and Dave Richard believes that will begin to change, especially after he hauled in nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in Week 4, a 24-20 loss against the Houston Texans. .
“That’s going to start to change,” Dave said. “He’s an outstanding bye week replacement, and by the end of weeks, he might be a No. 2 wide receiver. He’s the most explosive receiver the Jaguars have, but this is a week where they finally, FINALLY, stopped throwing. like crazy to Gabe Davis Brian Thomas was great on field throws He caught a two yard touchdown early in the game.
Dave is absolutely correct in his assessment here. Thomas Jr. will have every opportunity to raise his profile as the season progresses as he is likely to be targeted for two reasons. Teams tend to be pass happy when trailing, and considering the fact that they allow 361.7 yards per game (27th in the NFL), the Jaguars will likely be in a shootout or play from behind a lot this season. Their inability to get stops on defense paves the way for more plays like Thomas had this past Sunday.
Thomas runs a 4.33 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, but that’s not necessarily the most impressive aspect of his game. What I like most about him is his running after catch skills. While he only has 81 yards after the catch so far this season, look for that number to improve as the season goes on. Despite his frame, he knows how to run behind his pads and make defenders miss in traffic. While he will likely be used as the Jaguars’ primary deep threat, look for him to be used more in the screen game as a means of getting the ball into his hands quickly.
Another reason he will continue to have success is that the Jaguars aren’t afraid to move him around the formation. There are times he is out of the numbers, in the slot, or in a tight split where he is the closest wide receiver to the offensive line. While lined up in tight formations, he is often asked to run routes in obvious man-to-man situations, which allows him to use his speed to out-flip defenses to the opposing sideline, which makes for easy completions. In his short time in the NFL, he has a much better feel for which windows to set up in against a zone and will be targeted often because of his understanding of defenses and ability after the catch.
Overall, Thomas is a very quarterback-friendly receiver who will slowly but surely become Trevor Lawrence’s No. 1 option. The bond he’s building with Lawrence is palpable and should only get stronger in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts’ pass defense has already given up 1,031 yards this season, which is the fifth most in the NFL. They were most recently torched by Justin Fields, who threw for 312 yards and a touchdown against his porous secondary. Thomas, who is coming into his own as an NFL receiver, could end up having a big day against the Colts in Week 5, as long as Trevor Lawrence has the time to get him the ball.
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Thomas is projected to score 13.4 Fantasy points in Week 5 and average 10.12 Fantasy points per game for the season. If he can stay healthy and continue to progress at the rate he is currently, he will exceed those numbers to eventually become what Dave believes he is – a solid No. 2 wide receiver in all leagues.
For more Fantasy insights on how top Fantasy players are trending ahead of Week 5, be sure to listen to the full FFT Week 4 reaction podcast.
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