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Tyquan Thornton 2023 Outlook: Late-Round Best Ball Sleeper After Week 5
1 year agoNew England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (shoulder) is starting the 2023 campaign on Injured Reserve. He will miss at least the first four games. He had a quiet rookie season after being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but sophomore receivers are often nice values in fantasy drafts, and he could see an expanded role in 2023. The speedy Baylor product caught just 22 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns (one rushing touchdown) last season, but he missed the first four weeks of the season with a collarbone injury, setting him up for a slow start. He posted two double-digit fantasy weeks in 12 games played and flashed his speed and big-play ability in spurts. DeVante Parker is a year older, JuJu Smith-Schuster replaced Jakobi Meyers, and Jonnu Smith is now in Atlanta, so there are plenty of targets up for grabs. Thornton could establish himself as the lead deep-ball receiver when he returns to action, which will at least set him up to be worth a late-round selection in best ball formats. After the injury news, he should likely be saved for the final round of drafts, though. If the Patriots' offense ascends under new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, Thornton could pay off in the end.
