Selected 23rd overall last year, Thomas came out of the gate strong and only got better, erasing any concerns about the modest target shares he had at LSU while sharing the field with Malik Nabers. Thomas had 397 yards and three TDs in five games before celebrating his 22nd birthday last October, and while he then went through a mini-slump, his final six games were one of the most productive stretches ever by a rookie wide receiver. Undeterred by the presence of backup QB Mac Jones, the 6-foot-3 rookie with 4.33 speed ripped off six straight games with at least 10 targets and 76 yards -- all while accounting for five of Jacksonville's eight receiving TDs after a Week 12 bye. His average of 8.5 yards per target during that stretch was impressive, considering defenses had little else to worry about and otherwise had no trouble shutting down Jones. The talent around Thomas will be much better this season, with QB Trevor Lawrence coming back healthy, two new starters signed for the interior O-line and two-way star Travis Hunter added with the No. 2 overall pick. A more well-rounded offense under new coach Liam Coen may limit Thomas to 8-9 targets per game rather than the 11.7 he averaged after a Week 12 bye last year, but it also improves Thomas' chances to avoid efficiency regression (or even improve upon his 2024 per-target numbers).
