Michael Thomas Fantasy Outlook & Injury Update 2022 (Can He Have an Injury-Free Campaign?)

Wide receiver Michael Thomas will look to shake off the injury bug that has plagued him in recent years. Expectations are high for the star wideout to return to form ever since he finished his last full campaign — the 2019 NFL season — as the WR1 in PPR fantasy formats.

Thomas has worked hard to get back to being the breathtaking pass-catchers that fans around the league love to watch. Nevertheless, that'll be easier said than done, leaving fantasy managers wondering about his outlook for the upcoming season.

Michael Thomas Fantasy Football Outlook

It's important to remember that Thomas didn't play any games last season. Fans last saw him when his ankle issues limited him to 40 receptions and 348 yards without a touchdown over seven games in 2020.

However, if Thomas can return to his old self, the Saints are in for a treat. The Los Angeles native finished the 2019 campaign as the NFL's Offensive Player of the year after recording a 149 catches, 1,725 yards and 9 touchdowns through 16 games. That performance cemented Thomas as one of the league's top wideouts and it's clear that New Orleans' passing game hasn't been the same since.

The good news is that Thomas has all the tools to thrive this fall. Jameis Winston was looking solid under center before his own 2021 campaign ended due to injury, but he should help Thomas bounce back now that he appears to be fully healed.

Thomas will also have fellow wideouts Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry to help keep opposing defenses honest. Olave and Landry have the potential to be two of the better WRs that Thomas has ever lined up alongside, leaving time to tell if they're as effective on the field as they appear on paper.

Michael Thomas Injury Update

By all accounts, Thomas' recovery has been progressing as expected. He's participated in practice drills at training camp and although he hasn't been cleared for full team drills, head coach Dennis Allen has been impressed with his 7-on-7 play, expecting him to be a full-go for the 2022 season.

The Saints plan to ramp up Thomas' workload in the coming weeks as he continues to progress. His participation throughout training camp and the preseason games will give us a better idea of his opening week status, but all signs point to a clean bill of health this year.

Michael Thomas Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook are decent for Thomas considering all of the time that he's missed. For instance, he's available at +3500 odds (T-No. 16) to lead the league in receiving yards. On the other hand, he's only available at +5000 (T-No. 24) to be the 2022 NFL receiving TDs leader.

Is Michael Thomas a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

Thomas is an interesting fantasy option this year. On one hand, he's easily a top-five wide receiver when he's healthy. At the same time, we don't know if he's still that player anymore or if he can stay healthy throughout a 17-game schedule.

The Duel currently lists Thomas as the WR24 in our PPR rankings, which is far for a player who hasn't played since Week 14 of 2020. He also carries an average draft position of 79.5 on Fantasy Pros, meaning he's someone that'll likely be selected by the end of the seventh round in 12-team leagues.

If Thomas starts to slide in your draft, he's a great pickup due to his WR1 potential. Having said that, you'll like want to have other reliable wideouts on your roster rather than putting all your chips on MT13 and his health uncertainties.

Oh, and if you drafted Thomas, then you might want to check out the best Michael Thomas fantasy football team names for your squad too.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.