Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas

28-Year-Old Tight EndTE
Carolina Panthers
Questionable
Injury Calf
Est. Return 11/24/2024
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Thomas disappointed as the Panthers' starting tight end in 2021 to 2022, tallying 385 receiving yards and no touchdowns across 34 games (30 starts). After another underwhelming and injury-riddled campaign last season, Carolina added tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With Thomas entering the final year of his contract, he's expected to play behind both Sanders and Tommy Tremble, seeing minimal offensive work. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract with the Panthers in February of 2022.
Dealing with calf issue
TECarolina Panthers
Calf
November 10, 2024
Thomas is questionable to return to Sunday's Week 10 game against the Giants due to a calf injury, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Thomas was hurt in the first half and was subsequently deemed questionable to return. If he's unable to get back into the game, it would further thin a Panthers tight-end corps that is already without Tommy Tremble (back).
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Ian Thomas' 2024 advanced stats compare to other tight ends?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Air Yards Per Game
4.6
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.25
 
% Team Air Yards
1.1%
 
% Team Targets
2.0%
 
Avg Depth of Target
3.8 Yds
 
Catch Rate
50.0%
 
Drop Rate
16.7%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
2.3
 
% Targeted On Route
30.0%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.35
 
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2024
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Carolina PanthersPanthers 2024 TE Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

34360%
14769%
19334%
3517%
9116%
7033%
265%
21%
132%
10%
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How often does Ian Thomas run a route when on the field for a pass play?
This data will let you see how Ian Thomas and the other tight ends for the Panthers are being used. Some tight ends may have a lot of snaps, but they're not that useful for fantasy purposes because they're not actually running routes. This data will help you see when this is the case.
Ian Thomas
20 routes   6 targets
← More Blocking
% Routes Run
More Receiving →
22%
0 routes   1 target
0%
181 routes   32 targets
53%
86 routes   12 targets
45%
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Ian Thomas lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2024 Ian Thomas Split Stats
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6 days ago
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Thomas' role has been relatively consistent over the course of his five seasons with the Panthers. Playing 17 games last term, he caught 21 of 30 targets for 197 yards while splitting time with Tommy Tremble. Heading into the upcoming campaign, the veteran is anticipated to feature behind starting tight end Hayden Hurst, which should keep his production around its usual, tepid level.
Thomas started a career-high 13 of 17 games last season, but he only managed 18 catches on 30 targets for 188 yards and didn't score any touchdowns. Despite that limited pass-catching profile - as well as rookie third-rounder Tommy Tremble sporting slightly better production - Thomas was re-signed on a three-year deal this offseason. That commitment figures to keep Thomas in a similar role during the upcoming campaign, with his blocking offering more value than his presence as a route runner.
After long-time Panthers tight end Greg Olsen left last offseason, Thomas was promoted to the top of the depth chart. The result was heightened expectations, but Thomas fell flat in his opportunity. In 16 games, he caught 20 of 31 targets for just 145 yards and one touchdown. In March, Carolina inked Dan Arnold to a two-year contract, moving Thomas back down the pecking order at tight end ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Stuck in Greg Olsen's shadow the last two years, Thomas enters his third season with a fantastic opportunity in a Carolina tight-end room that otherwise consists of journeymen, blocking specialists and undrafted rookies. The 2018 fourth-round pick even has experience handling an every-down role, something he was tasked with whenever Olsen got hurt. Of course, experience and results are different things, with Thomas perhaps coming up a bit short in the latter department. The Panthers essentially used him as a dump-off target, with aDOTs of 6.1 and 6.0 his first two seasons. The lack of downfield work is a bit surprising for a player with 4.74 wheels in a 260-pound frame, though Thomas hasn't done himself any favors with an 8.9 percent drop rate. Competition for targets will be fierce in an offense with Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel.
The Panthers didn't have big plans for Thomas as a rookie, but he was capable when called upon after Greg Olsen suffered another foot injury, posting a 26-268-2 line in seven starting assignments. With Olsen's ability to stay healthy still a significant concern, it's possible Thomas becomes the team's primary tight end this fall. Thomas was merely a fourth-round pick out of Indiana after a quiet college career and a 4.74 40-yard dash, but it's notable he didn't appear totally lost in his first go-round at a complicated position. Be ready to pounce if the news breaks poorly for Olsen.
Drafted in the fourth round of this year's draft, Thomas profiles as an athletic developmental project behind Pro Bowler Greg Olsen. However, considering Olsen's injury struggles last season, as well as his advanced age, Thomas could grow in importance sooner than later.
More Fantasy News
Serving as No. 2 TE
TECarolina Panthers
October 20, 2024
Thomas caught both of his targets for four yards in Sunday's 40-7 loss to the Commanders.
ANALYSIS
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Cleared to play
TECarolina Panthers
October 18, 2024
Thomas (hip) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Commanders, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Added to injury report
TECarolina Panthers
Hip
October 17, 2024
Thomas (hip) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
ANALYSIS
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Uneventful return from injury
TECarolina Panthers
October 13, 2024
Thomas failed to catch any of his three targets in Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Falcons.
ANALYSIS
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Active against Falcons
TECarolina Panthers
October 13, 2024
Thomas (calf) is active for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Falcons, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Stepping up as pass catcher
TECarolina Panthers
June 24, 2024
Thomas was the Panthers' most impressive tight end during the team's offseason program, David Newton of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
The position is likely to be featured more in the passing game under new head coach Dave Canales, and there's nowhere to go but up as over the last four seasons, Carolina has ranked last in the NFL in tight end production. Thomas' roster spot is secure due to his blocking ability, but he's also been the more consistent receiver this spring ahead of 2024 fourth-round pick Ja'Tavion Sanders and 2021 third-round pick Tommy Tremble. Thomas hasn't caught more than 36 passes in a season since he was a rookie in 2018, but he still possesses good size and athleticism and could emerge as a red-zone option for quarterback Bryce Young.
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