Start Brian Thomas Jr. or DK Metcalf? Week 1
Locks at kickoff, graded after.
Start DK Metcalf over Brian Thomas Jr.
- ATL D vs WR
- 22.4
- 8th fewest to WRs (2026)
- CLE D vs WR
- 48.5
- 3rd most to WRs (2026)
Our Week 1 call
Start DK Metcalf over Brian Thomas Jr. in Week 1.
Neither player has a posted player market for this week, so this call is ADP and news based rather than priced against the betting market. Drafters take DK Metcalf at ADP 65 and Brian Thomas Jr. at 75.
What the books imply
No sportsbook posted a player market for DK Metcalf in Week 1.
No sportsbook posted a player market for Brian Thomas Jr. in Week 1.
Week 1 matchups
DK Metcalf and PIT host ATL.
ATL allowed 22.4 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 8th fewest in the league.
Receivers caught passes for 124 yards and no touchdowns against ATL.
Brian Thomas Jr. and JAX host CLE.
CLE allowed 48.5 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 3rd most in the league.
Receivers caught passes for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns against CLE.
By points allowed to the position, Brian Thomas Jr. has the softer matchup.
Injury status
DK Metcalf was not on the injury report when the call was made.
Brian Thomas Jr. was not on the injury report when the call was made.
Their 2025 seasons
In 2025, DK Metcalf played 15 games for PIT and scored 187.2 PPR points, 12.5 a game, finishing WR26.
He caught 59 of 99 targets for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 436 air yards.
He was on the field for 87 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
DK Metcalf, Week 16 of 2025 against DET: 65 of 74 snaps, 9 targets and 4 catches for 42 yards, 8.2 PPR points.
DK Metcalf, Week 15 of 2025 against MIA: 52 of 66 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 55 yards, 1 touchdown, 14.5 PPR points.
In 2025, Brian Thomas Jr. played 14 games for JAX and scored 138.8 PPR points, 9.9 a game, finishing WR42.
He caught 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 6 red zone targets and 548 air yards.
He was on the field for 79 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
Brian Thomas Jr., Week 18 of 2025 against TEN: 5 targets and 3 catches for 49 yards, 7.9 PPR points.
Brian Thomas Jr., Week 17 of 2025 against IND: 54 of 69 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 39 yards, 7.9 PPR points.
Brian Thomas Jr., Week 16 of 2025 against DEN: 51 of 70 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards, 3.8 PPR points.
Their other Week 1 calls
On the draft board
Ranked ahead
WR28 · JAX · bye 7
2025 vs rec yds line 4-10
- Overall rank
- 95
- Draft pick
- no consensus
- Tier
- 5
Ranked behind
WR33 · PIT · bye 9
2025 vs catches line 5-10
- Overall rank
- 100
- Draft pick
- no consensus
- Tier
- 5
The board cards are draft figures, not the week's call. Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 1, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.
The gap between them
- Spots apart on the board5
- Pick differencenot comparable without a consensus on both
- Tiersboth in tier 5
- Board size244 draftable players
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