A.J. Brown vs Brian Thomas: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between A.J. Brown and Brian Thomas is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver put up 12.1 PPG in 2025 over 15 games; Brian Thomas of the Jacksonville Jaguars averaged 8.2 in 14. A 3.9-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 3.9 points favors A.J. Brown, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one wide receiver to the other.
Target volume is the story here. A.J. Brown saw 121 targets in 2025, while Brian Thomas drew 91. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for A.J. Brown, even in weeks where Brian Thomas posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
A.J. Brown has his bye in Week 5, and Brian Thomas rests in Week 12. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at wide receiver for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
