Pretend you’re talking to a football fan who just awoke from a four-month-long coma today.
They ask about the Carolina Panthers. You tell them the Panthers’ primary tight end has the third-most targets, second-most catches, fifth-most receiving yards and second-highest catch percentage over their past two games.
“I guess Greg Olsen came back strong from that broken foot,” they say as a weak, but relieved smile slowly etches its way across their face.
Boy, are they in for a surprise.
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Since taking over for the injured Olsen in Week 13, Panthers rookie tight end Ian Thomas has caught 14-of-16 targets for 123 yards — accounting for 56 percent of his total catches and 59 percent of his total receiving yards this season.