The New Orleans Saints offense is constructed relatively similarly to last season. Chris Olave is locked in as the WR1, and Rashid Shaheed is poised to be the WR2.
Now in his third season, can Shaheed take a step forward and provide fantasy football managers with more booms than busts in 2024?
Should You Select Rashid Shaheed at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 170th Overall (WR63)
- Impressive Efficiency: Shaheed averaged 10.4 fantasy points per game in 2023, which may not stand out at first glance. However, his efficiency was notable. Despite playing only 46% of the snaps and seeing a 14.3% target share, Shaheed’s speed made him a deep threat with a 14.6-yard average depth of target, a 61.3% catch rate, and strong rankings in yards per target (9.6) and yards per reception (15.6).
- Opportunity for Growth: With Michael Thomas gone, Shaheed appears locked in as the Saints’ WR2 heading into 2024. Increased snaps should lead to a higher target share, though a drop in efficiency is possible. Still, Shaheed’s skill set suggests he will remain more efficient than the average NFL wide receiver.
- Volatility and Upside: Shaheed is unlikely to be a consistent scorer, but his big-play ability makes him a volatile asset with the potential for 20+ point games as well as games under 5 points. Fantasy managers should be prepared for this boom-or-bust nature if they draft him.
- ADP Analysis: Shaheed’s ADP is currently WR65, No. 171 overall. This makes him a late-round dart throw with significant upside. At this stage in drafts, having a player like Shaheed on your bench can be ideal for matchup-swinging performances.
- Final Verdict: I have Shaheed ranked as my WR47, which is a considerable value compared to his ADP. While his volatility may not be for everyone, Shaheed offers the kind of upside that could make a difference in fantasy matchups. Whether to draft him depends on your appetite for risk and preference for high-ceiling players.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Rashid Shaheed
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis. Since Shaheed is ranked outside the top 75 in the PFN Consensus Rankings, we’ve listed the consensus WR rankings instead.
55) Romeo Doubs, WR | Green Bay Packers
56) Adonai Mitchell, WR | Indianapolis Colts
57) Brandin Cooks, WR | Dallas Cowboys
58) Jerry Jeudy, WR | Cleveland Browns
59) Khalil Shakir, WR | Buffalo Bills
60) Rashid Shaheed, WR | New Orleans Saints
61) Joshua Palmer, WR | Los Angeles Chargers
62) Gabe Davis, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
63) DeMario Douglas, WR | New England Patriots
64) Jahan Dotson, WR | Washington Commanders
65) Adam Thielen, WR | Carolina Panthers
Shaheed’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 Fantasy Season
On the surface, Shaheed’s 10.4 fantasy points per game seem unimpressive. However, digging deeper reveals that there’s definitely something here. The question is whether the Saints can fully unlock it.
Shaheed wasn’t the Saints’ full-time WR2 in 2023. He played only 46% of the snaps and saw a mere 14.3% target share. His efficiency allowed him to produce WR4 numbers.
Shaheed’s best skill is his speed. As a result, he frequently sees downfield targets, as evidenced by his 14.6-yard average depth of target. Impressively, despite seeing so many deep targets, Shaheed was able to post a 61.3% catch rate. His 9.6 yards per target and 15.6 yards per reception ranked 17th and 15th, respectively. Pretty impressive for a part-time player.
With Shaheed being a 2022 UDFA, he had a lot of work to do to get himself into a stable role. Now, with Michael Thomas gone, it appears he’s locked in as the team’s WR2.
Derek Carr did not play particularly well last season, but he’s far from the league’s worst quarterback. Behind Olave, there’s room for a secondary option in this passing game. The Saints certainly would prefer Carr not to check down to Alvin Kamara nearly as much.
If Shaheed simply plays more snaps, his target share will naturally increase. With increased volume likely comes a decrease in efficiency. However, a guy like Shaheed is built to always be more efficient than the average NFL WR.
Is Shaheed a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
There’s an opportunity here for Shaheed to be a weekly WR3. To be clear, though, Shaheed is not about to get you 10-13 fantasy points each week. That’s not his game. He’s going to be volatile with games of 20.0+ and games under 5.0. If you draft him, you have to be prepared for this.
Shaheed’s ADP sits at WR65, No. 171 overall. He can be the last or second-to-last WR on your roster. Those are the exact types of guys you want to be volatile.
You don’t need a safe, reliable 11 points from anyone you draft. You can pick that up off the waiver wire. Having a guy like Shaheed on your bench is ideal because you can plug him in and know you have a shot at a matchup-swinging performance.
I have Shaheed ranked as my WR47, which, even this far down, is a massive difference from his ADP. He’s all upside at his price.
Nevertheless, at that point in drafts, it’s really a personal preference as to what type of dart you want to throw. I am more apt to take a chance on a guy like Shaheed, but other WRs are also young with solid upside as well.