Zavion Thomas, rookie wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, is the dynasty fantasy football sleeper who could pay off big this season.
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Related to Walter Payton, it’s not really a surprise that Zavion Thomas landed with the Chicago Bears in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, his draft position did shock many. Drafted 89th overall out of LSU, Chicago decided to invest in the wide receiver position early in back-to-back draft classes. Clearly, the Bears saw something they liked, aside from his family tree.
Thomas also looks ready to contribute at more than just the wide receiver position. Still, the WR depth chart could use a bit more help than other analysts seem to think (more on that below). But whether you think Zavion Thomas will only find value at wide receiver or if you believe he could be a versatile weapon, it’s clear he is a fantastic dynasty fantasy football sleeper pick in rookie drafts right now.
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Zavion Thomas Dynasty Fantasy Football ADP
Depending on the platform you are playing on, the Zavion Thomas fantasy football ADP (average draft position) for dynasty rookie drafts could be different. FantasyPros states his ADP is 37.8. I am unsure where they are getting their data, but they state it comes from “the most popular sites.” Interesting, but I digress.
On Sleeper Fantasy, Thomas is getting drafted so little that they list his ADP as 999, which is the default ranking when there’s not enough data on him being drafted. For what it’s worth, I have done two dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts this season, and Thomas went undrafted in both.
But whether Thomas is going late in rookie drafts or undrafted, it doesn’t really matter for our conversation today. For all intents and purposes, Zavion Thomas is free. He is a lottery ticket, meaning he is very cheap to get, and the expectations are that he will not be relevant. However, there is a chance he hits, and the wealth and value he could bring is very, very valuable.
What’s the Deal With Zavion Thomas?
*Insert bad Jerry Seinfeld impression* So Zach, what’s the deal with Zavion Thomas? What gives??
Take a listen to this intelligent NFL analyst and the press conference from Thomas here:
If you think Ben Johnson is a good offensive mind, then Thomas needs to be on your radar. Owned in just 63% of dynasty leagues, Thomas has been rumored to be Johnson’s new “Jahmyr Gibbs” type of player. Now, do I think he will be Gibbs? No. But do I think Thomas will be used in multiple positions? Absolutely yes. This is a quote from Bears’ offensive coordinator Press Taylor:
“Obviously, we know he is a dynamic returner,” Taylor said. “He’s got a variety of experiences that when we looked through his college career, lining up at running back, taking handoffs from the backfield, obviously being out on the edge, playing inside the numbers. You see the speed and you see the complementary aspect of what he could potentially be with our group. He’s going to have to go earn it. And that comes in the meeting room first, earning some trust to get your reps, showing that you can be trusted when you get there, and then being able to do something with it. Just like anybody, he’s going to put in a lot of time, put in a lot of work, and we’ll see where he goes as this thing builds.”
Zavion Thomas Fantasy Football Outlook
Last season, we saw Luther Burden III hang out on the sidelines most of the time. While I believe this does mostly have to do with the players ahead of him, a great deal of that had to do with Burden earning Ben Johnson’s trust. The same will be true with Zavion Thomas, especially if he lines up in the backfield or is used in unfamiliar ways. So, his rookie season could start slowly.
However, Thomas could be the x-factor in the Chicago Bears’ offense that the Kansas City Chiefs desperately want Xavier Worthy to be. Is Thomas Jahmyr Gibbs? No, but could he be Cordarrelle Patterson? It’s possible.
Zavion Thomas is absolutely electric with the ball in his hands. He ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so he is a burner. His three return touchdowns in college also prove his quickness, vision and play-making ability. Thomas is the type of player that you just want to get the ball in space. With a strong offensive line ahead of him, as well as good blockers at tight end, manufacturing touches out of the backfield could be dangerous. Every play is within scoring position.
I don’t trust his route-running ability at this point in his career. That will impact the number of snaps he sees at receiver early on. However, his tremendous athleticism is what will earn him backfield and returner snaps. If he makes a play, then his presence on the field will be more and more. Currently, the Bears’ WR corps is Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond and Scotty Miller. I am a Raymond fan, but clearly there’s room for Thomas to earn the WR3 job, and both Odunze and Raymond have dealt with injuries that could present themselves again.
If you are in a dynasty fantasy football league, Zavion Thomas absolutely has to be owned. He is lightning in a bottle. The Bears will want to see what he can do in the preseason, as he plays against a bunch of bad players. It takes just one future grocery bagger for him to take the ball 80 yards to the house. At that point, you will either be able to trade Thomas for some value or he will earn more snaps. And if this doesn’t happen, who cares? He’s a no-risk player to get.
