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Brian Thomas vs Christian Watson

2026 draft comparison · half-PPR

Updated Aug 23, 2026

ADP 70.4
Brian Thomas
WR · JAX · WR31
ADP 68.6
Christian Watson
WR · GB · WR30
VS
The crowd's leanAll time
56% would rather draft Watson over Thomas
44%Thomas
56%Watson
Based on 25 comparison results

Should you draft Brian Thomas or Christian Watson?

Last season — 2025, per game

Thomas14 games
2025
Watson10 games
8.2Fantasy pts11.5
14Games10
6.5Targets5.5
3.4Rec3.5
51Rec yds61
0.2TD0.6
Full game log & past seasons
Brian Thomas
2025 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKTGTRECYDTD
1
CAR
8.5
WR36
7
1
11
0
2
CIN
6.9
WR62
12
4
49
0
3
HOU
6.5
WR42
6
2
55
0
4
SF
8.1
WR37
7
5
49
0
5
KC
10.0
WR30
6
4
80
0
6
SEA
19.0
WR7
10
8
90
1
7
LAR
4.6
WR60
7
3
31
0
8
9
LV
7.0
WR45
5
3
55
0
10
11
12
13
TEN
3.8
WR61
3
2
28
0
14
IND
10.2
WR24
6
3
87
0
15
NYJ
15.1
WR13
7
4
66
1
16
DEN
2.8
WR82
3
2
18
0
17
IND
5.9
WR47
7
4
39
0
18
TEN
6.4
WR36
5
3
49
0
Earlier seasons (2024)
2024 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKTGTRECYDTD
1
MIA
12.7
WR18
4
4
47
1
2
CLE
10.4
WR27
4
2
94
0
3
BUF
7.3
WR48
9
5
48
0
4
HOU
18.9
WR7
9
6
86
1
5
IND
20.7
WR10
8
5
122
1
6
CHI
4.2
WR68
6
3
27
0
7
NE
19.6
WR4
5
5
89
1
8
GB
13.5
WR25
4
3
60
1
9
PHI
5.2
WR57
4
2
22
0
10
MIN
2.2
WR76
3
2
12
0
11
DET
11.1
WR28
7
5
82
0
12
13
HOU
16.7
WR13
10
4
76
1
14
TEN
12.6
WR23
12
8
86
0
15
NYJ
27.5
WR4
14
10
105
2
16
LV
23.7
WR3
13
9
132
1
17
TEN
20.4
WR13
10
7
91
1
18
IND
13.8
WR20
11
7
103
0
Christian Watson
2025 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKTGTRECYDTD
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
PIT
10.5
WR30
4
4
85
0
9
CAR
6.8
WR48
4
2
58
0
10
PHI
5.5
WR47
4
2
45
0
11
NYG
18.6
WR5
5
4
46
2
12
MIN
7.4
WR36
7
5
49
0
13
DET
16.3
WR12
10
4
80
1
14
CHI
22.9
WR5
4
4
89
2
15
DEN
4.4
WR67
5
3
29
0
16
CHI
2.7
WR85
6
2
17
0
17
BAL
19.8
WR5
6
5
113
1
Earlier seasons (2024)
2024 game log
WKOPPFPTSRANKTGTRECYDTD
1
PHI
8.8
WR35
5
3
13
1
2
IND
0.0
WR163
0
0
0
0
3
TEN
7.7
WR46
2
2
67
0
4
MIN
0.0
WR157
1
0
0
0
5
6
ARI
14.3
WR19
4
3
68
1
7
HOU
1.0
WR100
2
1
9
0
8
JAX
5.9
WR61
6
4
39
0
9
DET
7.2
WR44
7
3
37
0
10
11
CHI
17.0
WR10
4
4
150
0
12
SF
0.4
WR97
3
0
0
0
13
MIA
7.7
WR44
4
2
67
0
14
DET
11.4
WR28
7
4
114
0
15
SEA
7.1
WR47
6
3
56
0
16
NO
2.3
WR93
1
0
0
0
17
18
CHI
0.0
WR132
1
0
0
0

Latest takes

Brian Thomas
  • He led Jacksonville in targets with 95, ahead of Brian Thomas Jr.

  • Thomas still averaged 14.7 yards per reception in 2025, matching his rookie mark, and he produced 11 receptions of at least 20 yards despite the dramatic decline in production.

    Ryan Kirksey· Aug 18
  • This means he’ll have massive week-to-week volatility. I’m mostly interested in Thomas Jr. in best ball formats where I don’t have to stress about when to start him.

See 12 more
  • Washington averaged 2.19 yards per route run for the season and 0.24 targets per route run — a better TPRR number than teammates Brian Thomas Jr.

  • Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAC) Thomas’s rookie season, 87 catches, 1,282 yards, and 10 touchdowns, is viewed as unlikely to be repeated given real added target competition from a teammate who came on strong late last season, another solid veteran addition, and a two-way rookie wildcard.

  • There’s some uncertainty about how the Jags target hierarchy sifts out this season with Brian Thomas Jr.

  • The target competition is stiffer now, with Jakobi Meyers joining the team midway through the 2025 season and Parker Washington looking like a breakout star late in the year. The Jags say two-way player Travis Hunter will be deployed primarily as a cornerback this year, but he’s a potential wild card as a target thief. This just doesn’t seem like an ecosystem that sets up well for a Brian Thomas Jr. bounce-back.

  • Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAC) | ADP: 74.0 (WR30) Brian Thomas Jr. had an electrifying rookie campaign. He finished as the WR4 in half-PPR points (240.5) and was tied for the WR11 in half-PPR points per game (14.1) among those who played at least eight games in 2024.

  • I do not see a single player in the Jaguars’ receiving room with higher upside than Brian Thomas Jr .

    Colt Williams· Jul 21
  • It's hard to trust Brian Thomas Jr. as a WR2 in PPR leagues. In situations where Meyers was on the field for the Jaguars last season, Thomas's target share was third on the team at under 17%, and he only caught 18 out of 30 targets for 287 yards and scored once.

  • You have the absolute letdown of 2025, Brian Thomas Jr., who basically played no part in the Jags' success last year. He disappeared despite the team's success, ending as the WR44.

  • Josh Cameron is a big downfield weapon who has the potential to develop into a valuable receiver, especially if Brian Thomas Jr. isn't part of the team's long-term plans.

  • Brian Thomas Jr. was playing through wrist, shoulder, and ankle injuries for much of the 2025 season, which severely impacted his production. We could certainly see the rookie version of Thomas again.

    Jim Moorman· Jul 6
  • The talent that made BTJ a breakout star still exists, but his connection with Trevor Lawrence never consistently clicked in Liam Coen's system. Until Jacksonville proves willing to feature him more prominently again, Thomas profiles as more of a volatile upside WR3/4 than the ascending alpha many expected entering 2025.

  • Brian Thomas Jr.'s sophomore season was a major disappointment after the lofty expectations created by his explosive rookie campaign. Injuries constantly interrupted his momentum, while Jacksonville's offense increasingly funneled targets toward players like Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and Brenton Strange.

Christian Watson
  • With Romeo Doubs signing with the New England Patriots, this has more than cleared the way for Christian Watson to be the No. 1 WR in the Packers’ offense. Of course, Watson needs to stay healthy, though, which has been easier said than done.

  • Christian Watson is one of the easiest players in fantasy football to label as risky. He has missed time in every NFL season, sat out the first seven weeks last year, and has never produced more than 620 receiving yards.

  • The Jets have not added any talent at wide receiver that will truly threaten Wilson’s targets, and if he starts 2026 like he started 2025, he will be on pace for 150+ targets, 1,200+ yards, and 12+ touchdowns, which will make him a league-winning pick as WR19!!” – Adam Dove ( The Fantasy Couriers ) Christian Watson (WR – GB) “With Romeo Doubs gone and Tucker Kraft working his way back from injury, Christian Watson has a clear path to more targets.

See 12 more
  • Christian Watson (WR – GB) Going as the WR29, 65th overall, one analyst has him as high as WR20 and would consider him as early as round four.

  • On a recent podcast, I touted Packers WR Christian Watson as a high-upside player worth pursuing. The FantasyPros social media team clipped part of my Watson spiel and posted it on several platforms. An overwhelming number of the replies cited Watson’s extensive injury history – he’s missed 20 games in his four NFL seasons – and rejected the premise that Watson was worth drafting.

  • This season, the team WR1 picks are going in the WR3 range or later: DJ Moore, Mike Evans, Carnell Tate, Christian Watson, Marvin Harrison Jr, Brian Thomas Jr, Alec Pierce, and KC Concepcion.

    Rich Hribar· Aug 6
  • Fantasy Football Research & Advice Fantasy Football Expert Rankings 2026 Fantasy Football Draft Kit Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer Fantasy Football Value Players to Target Christian Watson (WR – GB) ADP: 65 | (WR30) The biggest knock on Watson is health

    Kyle Zeigler· Aug 6
  • Watson has the potential to be special. And his current cost assumes he’ll miss a few games.

  • Early reports indicate that Christian Watson, Jayden Reed , and Matthew Golden will run the majority of the routes with fewer substitutions following the departure of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks .

  • Christian Watson (GB) Christian Watson got the bag this offseason and should be considered the clear WR1 for the Green Bay Packers.

  • 20 come from two buckets: Hyper-specified role players (Stefon Diggs, Rashee Rice) Guys with other top 24 or strong ancillary target competition (Both Rams WRs, Jameson Williams, CeeDee Lamb, Tee Higgins, Quentin Johnston with Ladd McConkey/Keenan Allen) You may notice there’s one guy on this list who fits in neither, and it’s Thundering Herd legend Christian Watson (shout out to NDSU).

    Tony Martin· Jul 30
  • His target share and first-read share should go up this season with Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gone and Watson likely getting promoted into a full-time role.

  • Unfortunately, Watson has missed multiple games in every season of his career and had a medically relevant difference in his thighs, which could possibly, and call me crazy, be the reason why he has so many hamstring issues.

    Jeff Krisko· Jul 27
  • But Christian Watson sticks out as a value even among his widely “undervalued” cohort.

    Ted Chmyz· Jul 21
  • "He has a lot of openness in terms of being able to teach different guys in different ways and then modeling into exactly the kind of coach he needs to be depending on the environment he's in," Watson said of his new WRs coach, noting Pauley's adaptability across different coaching stops.

    Tony Camino· Jul 9