Should Fantasy Football Managers Trade Brian Thomas Jr. for Zay Flowers?

With the fantasy football season heating up, managers are asking whether it’s time to trade Baltimore’s Zay Flowers for Jacksonville’s emerging star Brian Thomas Jr.—here’s how the numbers and trends stack up heading into Week 7.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs after a second quarter catch against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Heading into Week 7 of the fantasy football season, chaos has erupted across the NFL with injuries to big names, breakout performances from rookies, disappointing lackluster starts to the campaign from high-profile stars, a few blockbuster trades, and much more. With a third of the season in the books and plenty of data at our fingertips, it’s time to examine two top wideouts on their respective franchises: Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Zay Flowers of the Baltimore Ravens. 

Ahead of Week 7, Flowers has been the WR22 (13.6 FPPG) while Thomas checks in as the WR34 (11.8 FPPG). Should Flowers managers consider swapping him for BTJ, who has seen a recent uptick in production? Let’s dive in.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) comes out of the tunnel before the start of an NFL football game between the Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium Sunday September 7, 2025. | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his first season with Jacksonville, Thomas caught 87 of his 133 targets for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Thomas had five targets or fewer in five of his first 11 starts, while delivering two winning days (5/122/1 and 5/87/1). Over this span, he averaged 12.98 FPPG or a mid-tier WR2 in PPR formats. The Jaguars gave him double-digit targets in each of his final six matchups, leading to a high floor in each game (4/87/1, 8/86, 10/105/2, 9/132/1, 7/109/1, and 7/103 ~ 22.98 FPPG). Thomas finished fourth in wide receiver scoring (284.00) in PPR formats.

BTJ had a lackluster start to the 2025 season. A rushing touchdown saved his Week 1 outing but it was incredibly disheartening to see him finish with just one reception on seven targets for seven yards in Jacksonville’s season-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers. Things didn’t get much better over the next three weeks as he failed to catch more than five balls or surpass 55 yards over tha span. After the first four games of the season, Thomas had just 12 catches for 164 scoreless yards and the aforementioned rushing touchdown.

However, things took a turn for the better in Week 5. While it wasn’t a breakout performance, he caught four of eight balls for 80 yards, including a fourth-quarter pass on the sideline that helped Jacksonville storm back in a wild upset victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Then in Week 6, the second-year sensation tallied a season-best eight receptions on 10 targets for 90 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the year. 

Although Liam Cohen would like to get Travis Hunter more involved in this offense and the backfield duo of Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten is still a focal point of this offense, Thomas Jr. seems to be getting back to last year’s form when he averaged 16.7 fantasy points per game. Thomas should be seen as a mid-tier WR2 at this point of the fantasy football season, though he does have WR1 upside in certain matchups.

Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

Flowers got off to a dominant start to the 2025 campaign, catching seven of nine targets for 143 yards and a touchdown in Baltimore’s shocking Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Although he hasn’t scored a touchdown since nor has he eclipsed the century mark, he’s operating as Baltimore’s go-to weapon in the passing game.

Flowers has tallied at least five catches in five of six games heading into the Ravens’ Week 7 bye and he’s posted 70+ yards in half of his matchups. With Lamar Jackson on the mend and looking likely to suit up in Week 8, Flowers should get back to solid WR2 returns. Even with Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley under center last week, Flowers still hauled in six catches for 46 yards, though he did lose a costly fumble.

The problem with Flowers isn’t his skillset, but Baltimore’s offensive scheme. The Ravens are a run-first offense that lean on the legs of Derrick Henry and their superstar quarterback. However, the team has shown more of a willingness to get Flowers the ball in space this season, allowing him to go to work one on one with opposing defensive backs. That being said, with Jackson back under center, Baltimore’s game script could heavily favor the backfield rather than the aerial attack. The team is 1-5 right now but after the bye, it’s hard to envision the Ravens continuing to fall into early deficits. Those game scripts could prevent Flowers from seeing the targets he deserves. 

The Verdict: Zay Flowers vs. Brian Thomas Jr.

Ultimately, Flowers managers should absolutely consider targeting Brian Thomas Jr. as a buy-low target, even after his best game of the season. If fantasy players wait another week, it could be too late, especially with Flowers idle in Week 7. Thomas could have a huge week as underdogs against the Los Angeles Rams so now is the time to strike.