Fantasy Football Faceoff: Julius Thomas vs. Ladarius Green

Here's a look at whether fantasy football owners would be better off selecting Jacksonville Jaguars TE Julius Thomas or Pittsburgh Steelers TE Ladarius Green in 2016 drafts:

2015 stats

The Case for Julius Thomas

Thomas has a longer track record of being a top target; he had 12 TDs in each of the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Broncos before moving on in free agency. Despite missing four games in 2015, he was the third-most-targeted Jaguar behind WRs Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns.

Whether Blake Bortles is a good real-life QB is up for debate; fantasy-wise, he's serviceable, as he finished tied for second in passing TDs (35) and seventh in total passing yards (4,428). A broken finger sidelined Thomas for the first four weeks last season, putting him behind the eight-ball in developing chemistry with Bortles.

Thomas is firmly third in the Jaguars' passing-game pecking order; newly-signed RB Chris Ivory isn't much of a receiving threat. Green is one of many mouths to feed in the Pittsburgh offense, and like Thomas last year, may experience a slow transition to his new club. Thomas is the safer selection.

Best-Case Scenario: A few more of the 24 TDs caught by Robinson and Hurns go Thomas' way, and he hits double-digits again while passing his career-high of 788 receiving yards.

Worst-Case Scenario: Nagging injuries cost Thomas a few games, and he continues to be ignored as a red-zone target when healthy.

The Case for Ladarius Green

Finally out from Antonio Gates' shadow in San Diego, Green was signed to be a key component of what could be the NFL's most potent offense. His career average of 14.1 yards per catch should help fill the deep threat void caused by WR Martavis Bryant's yearlong suspension.

In four games last season where Gates didn't play, Green acquitted himself well, catching a touchdown in three of the four contests, while recording at least four catches and 45 yards in each. Just because he's never been the unquestioned starter doesn't mean he can't handle the workload.

Though Antonio Brown registered a ridiculous 1,834 yards receiving, three other Steelers topped 500 yards, including Bryant and now-retired TE Heath Miller. Miller's 60 catches and 535 yards last season should be the absolute baseline for Green, with significant improvement likely on Miller's average of 8.9 yards per reception.

Best-Case Scenario: Ably replacing Miller, Green approaches 1,000 yards and double-digit TDs. Teams opting to blanket Brown are frequently burned by the ex-Charger's size/speed combo.

Worst-Case Scenario: QB Ben Roethlisberger is injured for a significant period and the passing offense crumbles; Green gets lost in the shuffle as Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates step up to replace Bryant's production.

Verdict

The juggernaut potential of the Pittsburgh offense makes Green the choice. While he's somewhat riskier, his ceiling is much higher, and it can be argued that his floor is similar to what would be an average season from Thomas.

While Thomas may end up catching more passes, Green's ability to serve as a vertical threat should help him to rack up yardage, and the difference in quality between Roethlisberger and Bortles helps tip the scales in Green's favor.