New Orleans Saints WR Rashid Shaheed already exceeded expectations during his rookie 2022 campaign by making the roster as an undrafted free agent. He eventually worked his way onto the game-day roster for 12 contests as a contributor on both offense and special teams.
Should fantasy football managers consider adding the promising Shaheed, who, at least in Week 1, appears to already have strong chemistry with new quarterback Derek Carr?
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Should Rashid Shaheed Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 2?
Shaheed put together a 28-488-2 receiving line last season while adding four carries for 57 yards and a touchdown as well as 513 total return yards, a stellar first-year campaign for an undrafted player out of Weber State.
Derek Carr tosses his first TD as a Saint!
📺: #TENvsNO on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/G4uoYVOqQn pic.twitter.com/VFssS0wEJB— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2023
Injuries helped facilitate Shaheed’s opportunities from scrimmage last season. Yet, the speedster certainly put enough on film to stick on the roster again in 2023, even after missing all of the preseason due to a groin issue.
Shaheed showed no ill effects in Week 1 against the Titans. Despite having had precious little time to build rapport with Carr, the second-year pro finished with five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Moreover, he rushed twice for 11 yards, ran back five kickoffs for 110 yards, and returned two punts for six yards, encouragingly filling the same multi-faceted role he progressively carved out as a rookie.
Despite Carr having access to a healthy Michael Thomas vs. Tennessee, Shaheed still finished second in receiving yards, tied with Thomas for second in receptions, and logged the third-most targets for the Saints.
Chris Olave is naturally the primary deep threat for New Orleans, and Thomas’ short-area/mid-range skill set — when healthy — is above question. However, there’s undoubtedly a role for Shaheed as a No. 3 asset that should face plenty of coverage from cornerbacks down the opposition’s depth chart.
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Additionally, Tre’Quan Smith is currently dealing with a groin injury that already landed him on injured reserve, meaning he won’t be available until Week 5 at the earliest.
Now heading into his sixth season, Smith is likely at or near his ceiling as a pro, and it’s arguably not enough to knock Shaheed out of the No. 3 receiver spot — the veteran’s season-long career highs are 34 catches, 448 yards, and five touchdowns.
Clearly, the Saints have plans for Shaheed to play an even bigger role in 2023, and Carr already seems like a good fit for him and the offense in general. Consequently, Shaheed is an excellent waiver wire add — even more so in leagues that count return yards and touchdowns.