New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas was a late addition to the injury report Saturday due to illness, giving fantasy football managers a major scare entering Sunday. What is the latest on Thomas’ health? Will we see him playing in Week 8, and what can fantasy managers do if he is absent?
Is Michael Thomas Going To Play in Week 8?
Update: Micheal Thomas is active for the Saints in Week 8.
It is very much up in the air early on Sunday morning whether Thomas will play in Week 8. Illnesses during the week are not normally anything to worry about from a fantasy perspective. We saw Alvin Kamara dealing with an illness on Wednesday, and he was back at practice on Thursday.
Thomas’ illness on a Saturday combined with a downgrade to questionable is a completely different situation. The Saints have been dealing with illnesses all week, so it was probably inevitable that someone would come down sick on Saturday. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, it is a fantasy-relevant player at risk of missing the game.
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The first report out of New Orleans on Sunday morning was that the Saints are hopeful that Thomas will be able to play but will wait until he arrives for confirmation. The positive news is that this is a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, so we will know at 11:30 a.m. ET whether Thomas will be active or not. At that point, fantasy managers can scramble if he is inactive.
To some extent, it will actually be tougher for fantasy managers if Thomas is active. Last week, we saw Bijan Robinson essentially sit out the game for the Falcons due to illness, despite suiting up. That is a major risk with Thomas in Week 8.
Top Fantasy Options If Thomas Is Out Include Rashid Shaheed, K.J. Osborn, and Jameson Williams
If Thomas is ruled out, fantasy managers will need to look elsewhere for a potential starter this week. Thomas is currently ranked right around WR40 in PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Rankings, which somewhat reflects the uncertainty over whether he will play. The first player who could see a boost if Thomas is out is fellow Saints WR Rashid Shaheed.
Shaheed is a boom-or-bust fantasy option who has seen at least six targets in three of the last four games. However, he has only gone over 35 receiving yards in one of those games, having done it twice in the first two weeks. The potential is there, and if Thomas is out, he could come close to double-digit opportunities.
Another option to consider if Thomas is out is Vikings WR K.J. Osborn, who has seen a bigger role since Justin Jefferson has been out. Osborn is still available in around 40% of Sleeper leagues and could be picked up if Thomas is out. Osborn has had a more consistent role without Jefferson in the lineup.
A sleeper option to consider is Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams, who had a monster touchdown catch for the Lions two weeks ago. Williams is another boom-or-bust-type option who should see his role in the offense continue to grow after returning from his suspension. He played 44% of the snaps last week against the Ravens but could not convert on any of his six targets.
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