New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has had all sorts of troubles staying on the field over the last few seasons as he gets ready for a major bounce back. He signed a new deal this offseason, and it’ll be interesting to see whether he can stay healthy this season.
2023 Fantasy Football: Michael Thomas Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Thomas played 10 games over the last three years, and he saw the field three times in 2022. In limited action, he caught 16-of-22 passes for 171 yards with three touchdowns. His season ended after three games with a toe injury.
Updated Saints outlook
Head coach Dennis Allen will return for his second season with the Saints, which did make a move at the quarterback position. New Orleans signed former Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr to a four-year contract this offseason. The Saints will see Year 2 of Chris Olave at wide receiver, and he could develop into a star at this level.
Best case scenario
The best-case scenario would be for Thomas to play a ton of games and become useful as a No. 2 wide receiver or FLEX option. The last time he played anywhere close to a full season came in 2019, but he finished that season with 1,725 yards with nine touchdowns. Thomas won’t replicate those monster numbers, but he could be useful in fantasy leagues if he’s healthy.
Worst case scenario
The worst-case scenario would be for Thomas to do what he’s done the last three seasons, which is to miss a ton of games due to injury. Another potential downside would simply be the injuries continuing to pile up, and he won’t be nearly the same player he was when he had a huge year in 2019.
Prediction
There’s too much risk with Thomas to take him anything more than a fourth wide receiver in standard leagues, but there’s a wide variance for what he might do this season. He’s pretty darn good when he’s on the field and if he stays healthy, Thomas will have value as a depth option at wide receiver as a FLEX option with upside.