Week 9 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Michael Thomas caught five-of-six targets for 81 yards in the Saints’ Week 8 win over the Vikings. Considering Drew Brees threw for just 120 yards, Thomas owners should be satisfied with the production. Then again, over half of his yardage came on one catch from Taysom Hill on the opening drive of the game. Thomas is dealing with a shoulder injury but was a full participant at practice on Thursday and should play Sunday when the Saints host the Rams in a potential shootout. Ranked as our WR2 for Week 9, Thomas is a must-start.
Week 8 at Minnesota Vikings
Michael Thomas caught seven-of-nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 7 win over the Ravens. The seven receptions were his most since Week 3 and his touchdown was his first score since Week 2. While he draws a difficult matchup with Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes when the Saints visit Minnesota on Sunday night, Thomas remains a must-start every week. He ranks as our WR5 for Week 8.
Week 7 at Baltimore Ravens
Michael Thomas caught 4-of-5 targets for 74 yards in the Saints’ Week 5 win over the Redskins. It was a weird night for both Thomas and Alvin Kamara, who was out-touched 18-9 by Mark Ingram. Despite New Orleans scoring 43 points, Thomas was one of the few Saints held out of the end zone. Nonetheless, Thomas remains the focal point of Sean Payton’s passing game and should rebound on Sunday, even against a tough Baltimore defense. Ranked as our WR7 for Week 7, view Thomas in his customary WR1 role.
Week 5 vs. Washington Redskins
Michael Thomas caught all four of his targets for 47 yards in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Giants. It wasn’t the production that Thomas owners have grown to expect out of the stud wideout, but there’s no reason to be concerned. His four targets were tied with Cameron Meredith for second on the team, but it was a game that Alvin Kamara simply took over and everyone else in the Saints’ offense (including Drew Brees) took a backseat. Ranked as our WR2 for Week 5, Thomas should bounce back Monday night when the Saints host the Redskins.
Week 4 at New York Giants
Michael Thomas caught all 10 of his targets for 129 yards in the Saints’ Week 3 win over the Falcons. He caught a 35-yard pass on New Orleans’ first play from scrimmage. Despite being held out of the end zone, it was yet another fantastic performance from Thomas. Ranked as our No. 1 WR for Week 4, Thomas is a must-start when the Saints travel to East Rutherford to take on the Giants.
Week 3 at Atlanta Falcons
Michael Thomas caught 12-of-13 targets for 89 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 2 win over the Browns. He also lost a fumble for the second straight week but that ultimately didn’t hurt his stat line. He’s been a target monster in his first two games and there’s no reason to suspect he’ll slow down on Sunday when the Saints travel to Atlanta. The Falcons have a pair of solid corners in Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford but that hasn’t stopped Thomas from posting big numbers versus Atlanta in the past. Ranked as our No. 1 WR for Week 3, Thomas is a must-start in all formats.
Week 2 vs. Cleveland Browns
Michael Thomas set a Saints team record with 16 catches in their Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers. He turned those 16 receptions (on 17 targets) into 180 yards and a touchdown as he torched a Tampa Bay defense without Brent Grimes (groin, didn’t play) and Vernon Hargreaves (who exited with an injury in the second half). Thomas did miss some practice time earlier this week due to an illness but he’s not in danger of missing Sunday’s game against the Browns. Ranked as our No. 4 WR for Week 2, Thomas needs to be in your lineup.
Week 1 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Michael Thomas finished as fantasy’s WR8 after finishing as fantasy’s WR9 as a rookie. He only scored five touchdowns last season but went over 1,000 yards for the second straight year while setting a team record with 104 catches. He’s a legitimate WR1 for Week 1 against the Bucs, who will have one of the worst defensive backfields in the league again. He ranks as our No. 5 WR.
Fantasy Upside
Michael Thomas went over 1,000 yards for the second straight year while also setting a Saints record with 104 catches. Thomas' final slash line of 104/1,245/5 in his second season was good for WR8, one spot higher than his WR9 finish in 2016. New Orleans added Cameron Meredith this offseason and will once again get Alvin Kamara and Ted Ginn involved in the passing game but Thomas remains their No. 1 wideout. The sky is the limit for the former second-round pick.
Fantasy Downside
Thomas only scored five touchdowns last season but then again, TDs are a volatile stat from year-to-year, making them difficult to project. The bigger potential issue is that the Saints draw four top-10 teams in a five-week span, which includes the Vikings, Rams, Eagles, and Falcons. Thomas and Co. will have their work cut out against a very tough slate of defenses this season, including a difficult schedule that includes three primetime games in a four-week span between Weeks 12-15.
2018 Bottom Line
Thomas is coming off the board at 2.05, just behind Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, and Odell Beckham. He plays for one of the most creative offensive minds in the game in Sean Payton, with a Hall of Fame-bound quarterback in Drew Brees, and is the clear No. 1 receiving option in New Orleans. Despite a challenging schedule, Thomas is a bona fide WR1 and our No. 5 ranked WR heading into the new season.
Divisional Round at Minnesota Vikings
Michael Thomas caught 8-of-9 targets for 131 yards in the Saints' Wild Card victory over the Panthers. Carolina shut down New Orleans' rushing attack but it was vintage Drew Brees, who repeatedly found a wide-open Thomas throughout the game. The highlight moment between the two came late in the fourth quarter when the Saints needed to pick up a first down on their final offensive drive. Brees threw a perfectly-placed back-shoulder throw to Thomas, who made a great adjustment to secure the pass.
Thomas now has 90 yards or a touchdown in seven of his last nine games. He's as consistent as they come and despite facing off with Minnesota's Xavier Rhoades this weekend, Thomas is our No. 3 WR for the Divisional Round. He's worth the salary cap money in DFS this weekend.
