Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era?

Attached Thumbnails · 06-02-2021, 07:49 AM

We’re in the thick of the NFL offseason and it’s officially time to start fantasy football prep. I’ll be answering the biggest questions heading into the 2021 season. Click here to read the series of questions answered so far.

No proven alpha No. 1 WR has faced more consistent social media scrutiny than Michael Thomas in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas has brought some of this on himself by 1.) randomly stirring the pot with others on Twitter, 2.) not exactly shining at his brightest in recent playoff performances, and 3.) missing a game after becoming yet another WR to punch Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Still, the general slander for a player who has already accomplished so much in just five seasons of action is a bit alarming.

I won’t argue with anyone who doesn’t want to place Thomas among the NFL’s top-five real life or fantasy WRs, but he fully deserves to be in the conversation. Writing off the NFL’s single-season record holder for most receptions after one injury-riddled season that (again) included plenty of time with a backup QB under center seems unwise.

What follows is a breakdown of how special Thomas has been during his early career and what we should make of his fantasy football stock entering 2021.

THE SLANT-BOY SLANDER IS OVERBLOWN

Many are quick to criticize Thomas due to the reality that he’s been borderline unstoppable running slants over the years. The ridiculousness of hating on a player for being too dominant on a single play is just absurd to me — I’ve never heard anybody say Steph Curry should start shooting fewer three-pointers.

PFF is cool enough to provide per-route data from every play of every game. We can use this to identify just how productive Thomas has been when running a variety of routes:

Slant route: 6.44 yards per route run (No. 1 out of 145 qualified WRs)
Comeback and hitch: 3.64 YPRR (No. 2 out of 126)
In, post and crossing routes: 4.59 YPRR (No. 6 out of 150)
Out and corner routes: 1.42 YPRR (No. 41 out of 130)
Go, wheel, fades and general deep routes: 3.24 YPRR (No. 24 out of 98)
Screen: 0.67 YPRR (No. 88 out of 116)
Thomas has certainly been the master of the slant, and he also finds himself near the top of the leaderboard in different routes, too! Before you freak out about the screens: guys including Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper and Allen Robinson II were all even less efficient than Thomas. Randos such as Jakeem Grant, Josh Huff and Adam Humphries are at the top — it makes sense that guys who don’t attract as much attention from the defense have had more success on screens over the years.

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Last edited by SmashMouth; 06-02-2021 at 07:54 AM.. Reason: Front Page

st thomas · 06-02-2021, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

We’re in the thick of the NFL offseason and it’s officially time to start fantasy football prep. I’ll be answering the biggest questions heading into the 2021 season. Click here to read the series of questions answered so far.

No proven alpha No. 1 WR has faced more consistent social media scrutiny than Michael Thomas in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas has brought some of this on himself by 1.) randomly stirring the pot with others on Twitter, 2.) not exactly shining at his brightest in recent playoff performances, and 3.) missing a game after becoming yet another WR to punch Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Still, the general slander for a player who has already accomplished so much in just five seasons of action is a bit alarming.

I won’t argue with anyone who doesn’t want to place Thomas among the NFL’s top-five real life or fantasy WRs, but he fully deserves to be in the conversation. Writing off the NFL’s single-season record holder for most receptions after one injury-riddled season that (again) included plenty of time with a backup QB under center seems unwise.

What follows is a breakdown of how special Thomas has been during his early career and what we should make of his fantasy football stock entering 2021.

https://twitter.com/Ihartitz/status/1270084179078807552

THE SLANT-BOY SLANDER IS OVERBLOWN

Many are quick to criticize Thomas due to the reality that he’s been borderline unstoppable running slants over the years. The ridiculousness of hating on a player for being too dominant on a single play is just absurd to me — I’ve never heard anybody say Steph Curry should start shooting fewer three-pointers.

PFF is cool enough to provide per-route data from every play of every game. We can use this to identify just how productive Thomas has been when running a variety of routes:

Slant route: 6.44 yards per route run (No. 1 out of 145 qualified WRs)
Comeback and hitch: 3.64 YPRR (No. 2 out of 126)
In, post and crossing routes: 4.59 YPRR (No. 6 out of 150)
Out and corner routes: 1.42 YPRR (No. 41 out of 130)
Go, wheel, fades and general deep routes: 3.24 YPRR (No. 24 out of 98)
Screen: 0.67 YPRR (No. 88 out of 116)
Thomas has certainly been the master of the slant, and he also finds himself near the top of the leaderboard in different routes, too! Before you freak out about the screens: guys including Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper and Allen Robinson II were all even less efficient than Thomas. Randos such as Jakeem Grant, Josh Huff and Adam Humphries are at the top — it makes sense that guys who don’t attract as much attention from the defense have had more success on screens over the years.

more from PFF

I hope big T gets back to his dominance in saints history , I hope he’s rehabbing well.winstons no Drew Brees but I believe Thomas is ecstatic about Winston getting a shot at # 1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

shawnkytonk · 06-02-2021, 12:15 PM

The hate for MT in the fantasy football community is nothing short of comical. There's a forum I've visited for 20 years that is a great source for not only FF, but college and the NFL as well. Numerous posters there think he is pretty much toast. There are a handful that don't even think he'll ever reach his rookie #'s. He's now being labeled "injury prone." He had a high ankle sprain last year. That's seem really atrocious analysis. The guy is what.....28? He's still in his prime for I'd say 3 years.

AsylumGuido · 06-02-2021, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by st thomas

I hope big T gets back to his dominance in saints history , I hope he’s rehabbing well.winstons no Drew Brees but I believe Thomas is ecstatic about Winston getting a shot at # 1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, to be honest, with all of his injuries, Brees wasn't Brees these last two seasons. If Winston does as he has claimed and embraces the role of a game manager Thomas may be pure gold in the fantasy world once again.

MatthewT · 06-02-2021, 12:58 PM

Michael Thomas is basically viewed as a great possession receiver with limited ability to stretch the field. It will be interesting to see if that perception changes with Winston or Hill as the QB.

Rugby Saint II · 06-03-2021, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by MatthewT

Michael Thomas is basically viewed as a great possession receiver with limited ability to stretch the field. It will be interesting to see if that perception changes with Winston or Hill as the QB.

We all know how much Winston loves firing the deep ball. If Winston can connect on the medium and short outlet passes in a tight window and be successful then we'll be alright. He is at the least a capable QB that needs a solid game plan from Payton with two or three go routes to stretch the field. I believe that Payton can get the most out of him while playing to his strengths.

I'm not yet a firm believer in his ability to deliver a touch pass under pressure. Under pressure is where Drew shone with quick decision making and an accurate pass. Not to mention he was extremely shifty in the pocket. Whoever wins the QB contest in training camp needs to process information faster than what I've seen from either of them in limited action.

mapcow · 06-04-2021, 06:10 PM

Thomas is gonna bail

Boston Saint · 06-04-2021, 06:25 PM

We will definitely find out weather the idea that defenses were squatting down on our pass game has merit or not !

AsylumGuido · 06-04-2021, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by mapcow

Thomas is gonna bail

Rugby Saint II · 06-06-2021, 01:29 PM

If Thomas doesn't ball he may want to be traded. It turns out that he's a Diva. Oh well, the top receivers usually are. I still wish we had Drew's leadership in the locker room. He will definitely be missed on the field as well as in the locker room.

06-02-2021, 07:49 AM	#1
Threaded by SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,201 Blog Entries: 29 Rating: (0 votes - average) We’re in the thick of the NFL offseason and it’s officially time to start fantasy football prep. I’ll be answering the biggest questions heading into the 2021 season. Click here to read the series of questions answered so far. No proven alpha No. 1 WR has faced more consistent social media scrutiny than Michael Thomas in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas has brought some of this on himself by 1.) randomly stirring the pot with others on Twitter, 2.) not exactly shining at his brightest in recent playoff performances, and 3.) missing a game after becoming yet another WR to punch Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Still, the general slander for a player who has already accomplished so much in just five seasons of action is a bit alarming. I won’t argue with anyone who doesn’t want to place Thomas among the NFL’s top-five real life or fantasy WRs, but he fully deserves to be in the conversation. Writing off the NFL’s single-season record holder for most receptions after one injury-riddled season that (again) included plenty of time with a backup QB under center seems unwise. What follows is a breakdown of how special Thomas has been during his early career and what we should make of his fantasy football stock entering 2021. Twitter THE SLANT-BOY SLANDER IS OVERBLOWN Many are quick to criticize Thomas due to the reality that he’s been borderline unstoppable running slants over the years. The ridiculousness of hating on a player for being too dominant on a single play is just absurd to me — I’ve never heard anybody say Steph Curry should start shooting fewer three-pointers. PFF is cool enough to provide per-route data from every play of every game. We can use this to identify just how productive Thomas has been when running a variety of routes: Slant route: 6.44 yards per route run (No. 1 out of 145 qualified WRs) Comeback and hitch: 3.64 YPRR (No. 2 out of 126) In, post and crossing routes: 4.59 YPRR (No. 6 out of 150) Out and corner routes: 1.42 YPRR (No. 41 out of 130) Go, wheel, fades and general deep routes: 3.24 YPRR (No. 24 out of 98) Screen: 0.67 YPRR (No. 88 out of 116) Thomas has certainly been the master of the slant, and he also finds himself near the top of the leaderboard in different routes, too! Before you freak out about the screens: guys including Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper and Allen Robinson II were all even less efficient than Thomas. Randos such as Jakeem Grant, Josh Huff and Adam Humphries are at the top — it makes sense that guys who don’t attract as much attention from the defense have had more success on screens over the years. more from PFF Attached Thumbnails st thomas and Thirty3 like this. Last edited by SmashMouth; 06-02-2021 at 07:54 AM.. Reason: Front Page
Views: 1518

06-02-2021, 09:58 AM	#2
st thomas Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: lafayette Posts: 7,753	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Originally Posted by SmashMouth We’re in the thick of the NFL offseason and it’s officially time to start fantasy football prep. I’ll be answering the biggest questions heading into the 2021 season. Click here to read the series of questions answered so far. No proven alpha No. 1 WR has faced more consistent social media scrutiny than Michael Thomas in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas has brought some of this on himself by 1.) randomly stirring the pot with others on Twitter, 2.) not exactly shining at his brightest in recent playoff performances, and 3.) missing a game after becoming yet another WR to punch Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Still, the general slander for a player who has already accomplished so much in just five seasons of action is a bit alarming. I won’t argue with anyone who doesn’t want to place Thomas among the NFL’s top-five real life or fantasy WRs, but he fully deserves to be in the conversation. Writing off the NFL’s single-season record holder for most receptions after one injury-riddled season that (again) included plenty of time with a backup QB under center seems unwise. What follows is a breakdown of how special Thomas has been during his early career and what we should make of his fantasy football stock entering 2021. https://twitter.com/Ihartitz/status/1270084179078807552 THE SLANT-BOY SLANDER IS OVERBLOWN Many are quick to criticize Thomas due to the reality that he’s been borderline unstoppable running slants over the years. The ridiculousness of hating on a player for being too dominant on a single play is just absurd to me — I’ve never heard anybody say Steph Curry should start shooting fewer three-pointers. PFF is cool enough to provide per-route data from every play of every game. We can use this to identify just how productive Thomas has been when running a variety of routes: Slant route: 6.44 yards per route run (No. 1 out of 145 qualified WRs) Comeback and hitch: 3.64 YPRR (No. 2 out of 126) In, post and crossing routes: 4.59 YPRR (No. 6 out of 150) Out and corner routes: 1.42 YPRR (No. 41 out of 130) Go, wheel, fades and general deep routes: 3.24 YPRR (No. 24 out of 98) Screen: 0.67 YPRR (No. 88 out of 116) Thomas has certainly been the master of the slant, and he also finds himself near the top of the leaderboard in different routes, too! Before you freak out about the screens: guys including Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper and Allen Robinson II were all even less efficient than Thomas. Randos such as Jakeem Grant, Josh Huff and Adam Humphries are at the top — it makes sense that guys who don’t attract as much attention from the defense have had more success on screens over the years. more from PFF I hope big T gets back to his dominance in saints history , I hope he’s rehabbing well.winstons no Drew Brees but I believe Thomas is ecstatic about Winston getting a shot at # 1 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk AsylumGuido likes this.

06-02-2021, 12:15 PM	#3
shawnkytonk 500th Post Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Denver>Memphis>Mississippi Posts: 741	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? The hate for MT in the fantasy football community is nothing short of comical. There's a forum I've visited for 20 years that is a great source for not only FF, but college and the NFL as well. Numerous posters there think he is pretty much toast. There are a handful that don't even think he'll ever reach his rookie #'s. He's now being labeled "injury prone." He had a high ankle sprain last year. That's seem really atrocious analysis. The guy is what.....28? He's still in his prime for I'd say 3 years. SmashMouth and Rugby Saint II like this.

06-02-2021, 12:48 PM	#4
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,274	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Originally Posted by st thomas I hope big T gets back to his dominance in saints history , I hope he’s rehabbing well.winstons no Drew Brees but I believe Thomas is ecstatic about Winston getting a shot at # 1 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Well, to be honest, with all of his injuries, Brees wasn't Brees these last two seasons. If Winston does as he has claimed and embraces the role of a game manager Thomas may be pure gold in the fantasy world once again.

06-02-2021, 12:58 PM	#5
MatthewT 1000 Posts + Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,729	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Michael Thomas is basically viewed as a great possession receiver with limited ability to stretch the field. It will be interesting to see if that perception changes with Winston or Hill as the QB. SmashMouth, Rugby Saint II and Boston Saint like this.

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06-03-2021, 03:15 PM	#6
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,073	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Originally Posted by MatthewT Michael Thomas is basically viewed as a great possession receiver with limited ability to stretch the field. It will be interesting to see if that perception changes with Winston or Hill as the QB. We all know how much Winston loves firing the deep ball. If Winston can connect on the medium and short outlet passes in a tight window and be successful then we'll be alright. He is at the least a capable QB that needs a solid game plan from Payton with two or three go routes to stretch the field. I believe that Payton can get the most out of him while playing to his strengths. I'm not yet a firm believer in his ability to deliver a touch pass under pressure. Under pressure is where Drew shone with quick decision making and an accurate pass. Not to mention he was extremely shifty in the pocket. Whoever wins the QB contest in training camp needs to process information faster than what I've seen from either of them in limited action. MatthewT likes this.
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06-04-2021, 06:10 PM	#7
mapcow Just a Fan Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,793	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Thomas is gonna bail
mapcow Just a Fan Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,793

06-04-2021, 06:25 PM	#8
Boston Saint 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 5,137	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? We will definitely find out weather the idea that defenses were squatting down on our pass game has merit or not ! jeanpierre likes this.

06-04-2021, 06:36 PM	#9
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,274	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? Originally Posted by mapcow Thomas is gonna bail

06-06-2021, 01:29 PM	#10
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,073	Re: Fantasy Football: What should we expect from Michael Thomas in the post-Brees era? If Thomas doesn't ball he may want to be traded. It turns out that he's a Diva. Oh well, the top receivers usually are. I still wish we had Drew's leadership in the locker room. He will definitely be missed on the field as well as in the locker room. jeanpierre and mapcow like this.