WR Chris Olave led the Saints in targets (10), receptions (8), and yards (112) in Sunday's narrow victory over the Titans. He drew 30.3% of QB Derek Carr's pass attempts for the game. WR Michael Thomas checked in next, catching 5 of 8 targets for 61 yards. WR Rashid Shaheed delivered a 5-89-1 receiving line on 6 targets. TE Juwan Johnson (3-36 on 5 targets) was the only other Saint to garner more than 2 looks. It was a strong start for the New Orleans passing game overall, but also quite possibly the best matchup they'll face in that area all season. Tennessee was the second-best scoring matchup for WRs last season, according to our strength of schedule formula; sixth-best for QBs. The only matchup more favorable for WRs in 2022 was Carolina, which New Orleans faces in Week 2.
WR Chris Olave led the Saints in targets (10), receptions (8), and yards (112) in Sunday's narrow victory over the Titans. He drew 30.3% of QB Derek Carr's pass attempts for the game. WR Michael Thomas checked in next, catching 5 of 8 targets for 61 yards. WR Rashid Shaheed delivered a 5-89-1 receiving line on 6 targets. TE Juwan Johnson (3-36 on 5 targets) was the only other Saint to garner more than 2 looks. It was a strong start for the New Orleans passing game overall, but also quite possibly the best matchup they'll face in that area all season. Tennessee was the second-best scoring matchup for WRs last season, according to our strength of schedule formula; sixth-best for QBs. The only matchup more favorable for WRs in 2022 was Carolina, which New Orleans faces in Week 2.
Saints insider Jeff Duncan writes that WR Michael Thomas has had a "mixed" training camp. "At times, he has looked like the guy who dominated NFL defenses... In other instances, he’s looked like a shell of himself, a guy who has struggled to beat press coverage from reserve DBs and had to be reminded to not catch the ball with his body." That shouldn't come as a surprise. Thomas has played just 10 games over the last three seasons and is 30 now. Especially with the presence of ascending superstar WR Chris Olave, Thomas is unlikely to re-emerge as a dominant fantasy force.
Saints WR Michael Thomas is expected to be a full participant for the start of training camp on Wednesday, according to insider Nick Underhill. The key for Thomas will be staying healthy throughout the rest of the year. He's played just 10 games over the past three seasons due to an assortment of injuries. We're skeptical that Thomas can regain pre-injury form or production, especially competing for targets with WR Chris Olave. But Thomas is certainly capable of paying off his ninth-round, WR44 ADP.
Saints QB Derek Carr obviously endured a rough final season with the Raiders. He got benched for the final two games and then released after the season. Before that, though, the veteran's performance declined significantly in multiple non-obvious categories. His 60.8% completion rate was his lowest since his rookie year (2014). Carr's 7.0 yards per pass attempt was his lowest mark since 2017, despite a career high in average depth of target. He posted his worst passer rating, Pro Football Focus passing grade and adjusted completion rate since 2014. And Carr's 2.8% INT rate was the worst of his career. The Saints obviously believe he can rebound, and Carr still finished 16th among QBs in total fantasy points; 20th in points per game. He's at least probably not a downgrade for New Orleans, but Carr sits just 26th in our QB rankings and isn't boosting the fantasy outlook for Chris Olave or any other Saints receiver.
Saints WR Michael Thomas said he expects to be a full participant on day one of training camp. We’ll see if the team pulls in the reigns on a guy with only 10 appearances over the past three seasons. For now, though, Thomas looks to be on the right track. The veteran even took some reps at OTAs on Tuesday. With an Underdog Fantasy ADP of WR47, Thomas is reasonably priced in early drafts.
Saints GM Mickey Loomis believes WR Michael Thomas can “absolutely” catch 100 passes again. "He's worked so hard (at getting healthy) over the last 2-3 years. And while the results haven't been good as we all hoped, it's not because of a lack of effort or desire by him, that's for sure,” Loomis remarked. Per beat writer Kat Terrell, Loomis added that everything is “pretty much according to plan” after Thomas recently had hardware removed from his foot. The 30-year-old appeared in only three games last year; seven in 2020. He projects as a bench stash in our fantasy football WR rankings.
Saints HC Dennis Allen said Tuesday that WR Michael Thomas still isn't back to 100% after November surgery to repair a dislocated 2nd toe. Thomas is "getting closer" and should be ready to go at some point this offseason, Allen added. Thomas, of course, has managed to play in just 10 games over the past 3 seasons and turned 30 earlier this month. He's no better than a risk/reward WR3 selection in early best-ball drafts -- especially until we know that he's over that toe issue.
Saints WR Michael Thomas is expected to remain with the team on a one-year deal, $10 million deal worth up to $16 million in incentives. Now Thomas will have an opportunity to get his career back on track with recently acquired QB Derek Carr. The oft-injured star wideout has only appeared in 10 games since 2019, a season in which he led the league in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725). It's justifiably fair for fantasy managers not to get overly excited about this news, but there's no doubting what Thomas is capable of at full strength. Maybe 2023 will finally be the year that the patience pays off.
QB Derek Carr and the Saints are working out a contract that could be done as soon as Monday afternoon, according to multiple reports. It's not a surprising turn for Carr, who had "lengthy" visit to New Orleans a month ago. His arrival will be good news for Saints second-year WR Chris Olave, who finished his rookie season 10th in yards per route run among all WRs with 30+ targets. WR Rashid Shaheed was among the nine players ahead of him (on far fewer targets), so that pair presents some big-play upside for Carr's stat line. That said, we can't upgrade the QB for leaving Davante Adams and Darren Waller. So the best hopes for Carr's ADP and fantasy football outlook are: 1) The Saints add more talent on offense; and 2) fantasy drafters don't boost him much from his current QB20 position. We'll see what else a cap-strapped New Orleans roster can add. And we'll see who teams such as the Jets and Panthers turn to at QB (after also courting Carr). WR Michael Thomas remains under contract with New Orleans as well. But he looks like a cut candidate that could help with the cap issues. Don't assume too strongly for now that he opens the year with the Saints.
Update: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Carr agreed to a four-year, $150 million deal, with $100 million in "total guarantees."
The Saints and WR Michael Thomas agreed to a restructured contract, ESPN's Field Yates reports. Thomas' 2023 base salary was reduced from $15.5 million to $1.165 million, with a $31.755 million roster bonus for the 2024 league year added that becomes fully guaranteed on the 3rd day of the 2023 league year. In short, this means we'll get a decision on Thomas' future with the Saints by mid-March. Releasing Thomas would still result in a dead-cap charge of nearly $26 million. Thomas turns 30 in March and has played in just 10 games over the past 3 seasons. He had surgery in November to repair a dislocated 2nd toe.
Saints WR Michael Thomas will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated 2nd toe, HC Dennis Allen said Thursday. Thomas originally suffered the injury in Week 3. "I don't think there was any complication," Allen said. "I think we followed what the doctors recommended in terms of trying to rehab it and give him an opportunity to play through it. We went in and had another MRI the other day, and it hasn't healed the way that everybody was kind of hoping it would. And so surgery is the next option." Allen didn't give a timetable for Thomas' return but confirmed that he's going on IR and added that he "doesn't anticipate" Thomas playing again this season. He can be dropped from redraft rosters.
Saints HC Dennis Allen said Thursday that he doesn't expect WR Michael Thomas to return this season from the foot injury that has sidelined him since Week 3. His absence will continue to present opportunity for WRs Marquez Callaway and Tre'Quan Smith, with Callaway the more direct replacement for Thomas' role. The veteran will turn 30 in March and still has 2 more years on his contract.
Saints WRs Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) are out for Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. HC Dennis Allen said Friday that there's no timetable for their returns, but that he does expect both guys to play again this season. WR Chris Olave should continue to dominate targets this weekend, with Marquez Callaway and Tre'Quan Smith as New Orleans' #2 and #3 WRs.
Saints WRs Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) missed practice again on Thursday. Both guys are long shots to play vs. the Raiders this weekend.
Saints WRs Michael Thomas (foot) and Jarvis Landry (ankle) remained sidelined on Wednesday. Fantasy owners shouldn't be counting on either guy in Week 8 lineups.
Saints WR Chris Olave stepped up in Week 7 with 7 catches for 106 yards. The rookie has now hit 50 yards in 5 straight, a stretch that includes 53 targets. Of course, it’s helped that Jarvis Landry has missed the past 3 games; Michael Thomas has missed the last 4. But watching film on Olave, it’s clear that he deserves a sizable weekly role. The analytics back it up, as he ranks 9th in yards per route run (2.46) among 82 qualifiers. We'll see about the statuses of Olave’s veteran teammates. But even if they're active, Olave will profile as a WR3+ for Sunday’s home matchup with Vegas.
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