Julius Thomas is less than a week removed from a hand fracture he suffered in the Jacksonville Jaguars preseason opener, but there is already optimism that Thomas will return to the field in the first week of the regular season.
Julius Thomas injury update: Jaguars TE likely to start for fantasy owners in Week 1
Julius Thomas is getting a vote of confidence from a hand surgeon. We take a look at the fantasy implications.
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Dr. Steven Shin, Director of Hand Surgery at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, referred to Thomas' injury as one that "tends to heal very quickly," according to the Miami Herald on Monday. In fact, Thomas will likely only have a soft pad to protect his injury when he takes the field again, allowing for little restriction of movement.
In March, the Jaguars signed Thomas to a five-year, $46 million contract with $24 million guaranteed. He’ll be expected to be a huge part of the offense.
Fantasy impact: Thomas likely won't miss a single regular season game, but his fantasy output is still in question. Thomas went from a high-octane offense in Denver to a struggling Jacksonville squad in 2015. If quarterback Blake Bortles can take the next step, Thomas has plenty of upside to offer. He's currently being drafted in the ninth round of most fantasy drafts, which is a relatively low-risk spot to be in. He'll be a solid TE1 to start the season.
