Michael Thomas

Thomas finished the 2019 season as the No. 1 fantasy receiver, and he did it in dramatic fashion, outsourcing the No. 2 (Chris Godwin) by 69.0 fantasy points in half-PPR formats. He finished No. 6 and No. 5 in the two previous seasons, so it was no surprise that he was the first receiver off the board in 2020. Unfortunately, he struggled with multiple injuries in 2020, missing several games due to a high-ankle sprain, a hamstring injury, and even getting suspended for a game for fighting with a teammate. He apparently had ankle surgery in the offseason and the injury is still being monitored this summer. Drew Brees’ retirement is another concern, though Jameis Winston supported two top 12 fantasy receivers in 2019 (WR2 Chris Godwin and WR12 Mike Evans). Winston’s inaccuracy on slant routes–Thomas’s bread and butter–is yet another concern. This all adds up to Thomas, a perennial top 6 receiver, being drafted as the ninth receiver off the board. There are various red flags, but he’s a solid value in the third round.