Week 2 at Cincinnati Bengals
In his Ravens debut, Willie Snead caught 4-of-6 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. Snead is looking for a career resurgence after inconsistency and off-field issues ran him out of New Orleans—he may find it in Baltimore. Snead has long-term upside, but he’s way too risky to trust right now. He’s still third on the depth chart and the Ravens won’t blow out every team 47-3 like they did the Bills in Week 1.
Fantasy Upside
After a strong first two seasons of his career, Snead had a forgettable 2017. Off-field issues led to him getting buried on the depth chart and he wound up with only eight catches all year, despite being active for 11 games. Snead remains a big-play threat, however, and the Ravens still have the strong-armed Joe Flacco slinging it downfield. Snead has upside because he may be the most talented receiver in Baltimore, and he should be given the opportunity to earn a starting job opposite Michael Crabtree.
Fantasy Downside
John Brown was also brought in, and he’ll be vying with Snead for snaps. Additionally, the Ravens drafted NFL-ready tight end Hayden Hurst in the first round. The Ravens threw the ball to the tight end position 134 times last season. Former first-round pick Breshad Perriman remains in the mix as well. If Snead doesn’t show he can be consistent and reliable on and off the field, he may find himself buried on the depth chart in Baltimore.
2018 Bottom Line
Snead is a good late-round option for owners looking for a boom/bust prospect at the back-end of a roster. He’s worth considering late in best-ball formats especially due to his big-play ability, but he’ll likely be a key waiver wire pickup in most leagues. Watch Snead’s status on the depth chart as the season progresses, particularly in relation to John Brown’s production. If Snead pulls away from the pack and becomes the clear starter opposite Crabtree, he could be a steal off the wire or late in drafts.
Week 7 at Green Bay Packers
Willie Snead caught just 1 pass for 11 yards in the Saints’ Week 6 win over the Lions. He played just 21-of-71 snaps in his season debut. He was limited at Thursday’s practice due to a hamstring injury and while he should play, Snead is not a reliable fantasy option this weekend. Ranked as our No. 50 WR for Week 7, avoid Snead when the Saints visit the Packers.
Week 6 vs. Detroit Lions
Willie Snead was inactive for the Saints’ Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins in London due to a hamstring injury. Snead said earlier this week the team is working him back slowly. Not knowing what his role is going to be, it’s hard to trust Snead this week against a Lions defense rankED No. 9 against fantasy receivers. Snead is our WR36 for Week 6. View him as a WR4/5 only.
Week 4 at Miami Dolphins (game in London)
Willie Snead's three-game suspension is over, but it has yet to be determined what his role will be in Week 4. Brandon Coleman has played well in the slot, although Snead is the better athlete and should reclaim his job soon. It's best to avoid Snead until we find out how Sean Payton intends on using him now that he's back in the fold. He ranks as our WR36 for Week 4.
Fantasy Upside
Will Snead finished his sophomore campaign in New Orleans by catching 72 passes for 895 yards and4 touchdowns. Those numbers were good for fantasy's WR36. It was the second time in as many years Snead finished with over 100 targets (104). Those opportunities don't figure to fade either, especially now that Brandin Cooks is in New England. Even though the Saints signed Ted Ginn Jr. to help fill the Cooks void, Snead says he wants to be more of a deep threat in Sean Payton's offense. If he proves that he can handle that role, Snead could post his first 1,000-yard season as a pro.
Fantasy Downside
After catching nine passes for 172 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders in Week 1, Snead never had another 100-yard game in 2016. He finished with just three additional touchdowns while also missing time with a toe injury. Snead doesn't have the size to battle near the goal line, so red zone targets could also be an issue. Michael Thomas is entrenched as the team's No. 1 receiver and emerged last season as Drew Brees' go-to red zone option. Thus, while the yards may be there for Snead, his touchdown production could be suppressed.
2017 Bottom Line
There's a lot to like about Snead heading into 2016. Cooks' departure creates more opportunities for Snead all over the field. (In three-receiver sets he'll line up in the slot and then kick outside in two-receiver formations.) Snead has posted top-35 PPR receiver finishes his first two seasons, plays in one of the most electric passing games in the NFL, and catches passes from one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Given his current ADP of 10.04, Snead offers owners plenty of value in drafts. He currently ranks as our WR19 in PPR.
Week 17 at Atlanta
Willie Snead caught two-of-five targets for 21 yards in the Saints' Week 16 win over the Bucs. After racking up 14 catches for 161 yards over his last two games, Snead's catch total was his second-lowest of the season and his yardage total was his lowest of 2016. That said, Snead should have a bounce back performance this Sunday when the Saints visit a Falcons team that ranks No. 26 against fantasy receivers. Ranked as our WR24, view Snead as a WR3/FLEX option for Week 17.
Week 16 vs. Tampa Bay
Willie Snead caught seven-of-eight targets for 76 yards in the Saints' Week 15 win over the Cardinals. He could have had a bigger day, but he had a touchdown overruled by replay after appearing to come down with a catch in the end zone. Snead has topped 75 yards in each of his last two games and has FLEX appeal with the Saints hosting the Bucs on Saturday. Snead ranks as our WR26 for Week 16.
Week 15 at Arizona
Willie Snead caught six-of-eight passes for 85 yards in the Saints' Week 14 loss to the Bucs. With Michael Thomas (foot) sidelined and Brandin Cooks once again ineffective, Snead was the team's leading receiver. Thomas was limited in practice on Wednesday and even if he does play on Sunday, he'll see a lot of Patrick Peterson. Thus, Snead could be a sneaky start for Week 15 for those owners in search of a FLEX option for their fantasy playoffs. Snead ranks as our WR40 for Week 15.
Week 14 at Tampa Bay
Willie Snead caught two-of-five targets for 38 yards in the Saints' Week 13 loss to the Lions. Snead continues to take a backseat to Michael Thomas and Brandin Cooks in the Saints' passing game and hasn't gone over 50 yards receiving since Week 8. Granted, Thomas is currently dealing with a foot injury so Snead could be the Saints' No. 2 receiver on Sunday when they visit the Bucs. That said, he would still be a major roll of the dice and should probably just be avoided in all formats. Snead ranks as our WR45 for Week 14.
