Thornton failed to reel in either of his two targets in Sunday's 40-6 loss to the Colts.
Thornton was held without a catch for the second straight game Sunday, and his 47 percent offensive snap share was his lowest mark of the season. Through five games, the rookie wideout has recorded just five receptions for 94 yards. Thornton's limited role in the offense makes him extremely difficult to trust for fantasy purposes. The 22-year-old will have his next opportunity to produce when the Raiders host the Titans in Week 6.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: First game without a reception
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Thornton was unable to haul in either of his two targets in Sunday's 25-24 loss to the Bears.
Thornton posted a zero in the fantasy scoring column, while quarterback Geno Smith struggled to get much of anything going through the air, completing 14 of 21 pass attempts for just 117 yards. On a more positive note for Thornton, he continues to retain the WR3 role behind Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, with fellow rookie Jack Bech logging only five offensive snaps Sunday.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Four targets in Sunday's loss
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Thornton caught two of four targets for 29 yards in Sunday's 41-24 loss to the Commanders.
Thornton matched Jakobi Meyers' four targets, but fellow wideout Tre Tucker erupted for an 8-145-3 receiving line on nine looks from quarterback Geno Smith, who produced 289 passing yards on just 19 completions in the Raiders' defeat. Thornton has been targeted exactly four times in each of Las Vegas' first three games, and he remains ahead of fellow rookie Jack Bech in the WR3 role with a Week 4 tilt against the Bears looming.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Records one catch against Chargers
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Thornton caught one of four targets for 20 yards in Monday's 20-9 loss to the Chargers.
Thornton continued to operate as the Raiders No. 3 wide receiver Monday while playing 57 of the Raiders' 70 offensive snaps behind both Jakobi Meyers (65) and Tre Tucker (64). The rookie wideout saw four targets for the second straight week, so it appears that Las Vegas is intent on getting him the ball as a dynamic playmaker. With that said, Thornton likely faces a tough path to consistent fantasy production in an offense still trying to find its footing early in the season. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old will look to have more of an impact in Week 3 when the Raiders visit the Commanders.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Four targets in debut
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Thornton caught two of four targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 20-13 win over the Patriots.
As expected, Thornton played ahead of fellow rookie Jack Bech in the WR3 role behind Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, with Thornton even producing a timely 36-yard reception when the Raiders were facing a crucial third-and-20 from their own 25-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Thornton ultimately played 38 of a possible 63 offensive snaps in his NFL debut, but his involvement could increase against the Chargers in Week 2 if All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers (knee) is sidelined.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Working with starters
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Thornton was working with the Raiders' starters during Monday's mandatory minicamp practice, Jonathan Williams of Sports Illustrated reports.
Thornton was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 draft after catching 26 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns during his final year at Tennessee, and he already appears to be carving out a role for himself in Las Vegas' offense. As the team currently lacks proven talent at the position behind Jakobi Meyers, Thornton could end up serving as one of the team's top wideouts early on in his rookie season.
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Raiders' Dont'e Thornton: Adds speed to Vegas' receiving corps
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The Raiders selected Thornton in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 108th overall.
Thornton had modest collegiate production, though he did average 25.4 yards per catch with six touchdowns in his final year with Tennessee. The Raiders likely drafted him with a similar role in mind, as he'll be able to use his 4.30 40-yard dash speed to threaten defenses vertically, in turn opening space underneath for the likes of Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers. That may not mean a lot of production immediately for Thornton, but targets after Bowers and Meyers are up for grabs in the Raiders' wide receiver corps.
