With Jordyn Tyson unavailable, someone in New Orleans had to become the second option behind Chris Olave, and Devaughn Vele took the job in Week 1. Nine targets, seven catches, 69 yards and a touchdown is exactly the kind of opener that settles a depth chart question, and it came in an offense that threw the ball 56 times. The complication is the schedule, because Baltimore’s defense held the Colts to 149 passing yards last game. Find out whether you should start or sit Devaughn Vele in Week 2.
Devaughn Vele Start or Sit Advice for Week 2
Vele’s case starts with how he is built. At his size he wins on contested throws and in the back of the end zone, and the catch radius lets a quarterback throw to a spot rather than a window. That translated cleanly in the opener, where he converted seven of nine targets and cashed one in for a score while working to a 17.3 percent share, second on the team behind Olave’s 25 percent. Only Travis Etienne matched his target count, and Etienne did his damage as a receiving back rather than a downfield threat.
The volume behind him is the strongest part of this argument. The Saints attempted 56 passes in Week 1, throwing for 378 yards with 294 air yards while running the ball just 25 times for 3.6 a carry. That is a pass-first attack by necessity, and it means even the second receiver in the pecking order clears a workable baseline. Vele also drew one of the team’s six red zone targets, which matters for a player whose frame makes him a natural option inside the 20.
Baltimore is where the case gets complicated, though not uniformly. The Ravens allowed only 166 receiving yards on 29 targets and held Daniel Jones to a 72.8 passer rating with an interception, so this is a defense that has answered so far. But the injury report is thinning them out. Cornerback T.J. Tampa and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike have been ruled out for Baltimore. Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is questionable after returning to practice Friday on a limited basis with a finger injury. Chris Olave is also questionable for New Orleans with a hamstring injury after being limited Thursday and Friday. If Olave cannot play, Vele’s target ceiling would rise significantly.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Devaughn Vele in Week 2
He is competing for scraps behind a genuine target hog. Olave commanded 13 looks for 182 yards, and New Orleans spread the rest across two tight ends who combined for 15 targets and two touchdowns, with Noah Fant and Juwan Johnson both finding the end zone while Vele got one. Bryce Lance added four targets of his own. That is a crowded distribution, and Vele’s 69 yards on nine targets works out to 9.9 a catch, which tells you where he is being used and why the yardage ceiling is capped even on a busy afternoon. Tyler Shough also gave up five sacks and threw two interceptions in the opener, so the quarterback play carries potential downside in a matchup this firm.
Fantasy Outlook for Devaughn Vele in Week 2
Vele is a Start in Week 2 for managers who need a FLEX body. The role is real, the offense is throwing enough to support two receivers, and a Baltimore defense down a starting corner and an edge rusher is more attackable than its opening statistics indicate. Just calibrate the expectation, because a short-area target in a crowded distribution against a defense playing well is a floor play rather than a week-winner. If you have a receiver with a softer draw on your bench, use that one instead.
Find our Week 2 fantasy WR rankings here!