In the past few seasons, Michael Thomas has undoubtedly cemented his name as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Shockingly, the New Orleans Saints were able to land Thomas with their second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Saints own one of the most potent offenses in the NFL due to Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a future Hall of Fame quarterback like Drew Brees throwing you the ball.
Nonetheless, there were so many impressive aspects of Thomas's 2018 campaign. First off, his 85% catch rate might be the most stunning stat he had last season. That's unheard of from a receiver who was targeted 147 times.
Thomas had career-high marks in every category across the board last year. His 125 receptions, 1,405 yards, and nine touchdowns put opposing defenses on notice. This season, the Saints' star wide receiver is here to prove he's here to stay.
Coming into 2019, Thomas is heading into a contract year with New Orleans. Extra motivation may cause Thomas to put his name in the NFL record books if he keeps improving. Here are three numbers to target for Michael Thomas during the 2019 season.
3. 10 Touchdowns
One of the only stats that has eluded Thomas in his three seasons, is the ability to haul in 10 touchdowns. With the Saints poised to be one of the best offenses again in 2019, Thomas could very well reach that number.
Through three seasons, Thomas has totaled 23 touchdowns. In two of those seasons, he was able to bring in nine of them—including last season.
Last year, Thomas seemed to further his ability to play anywhere on the field. Thus, this allows him to receive more opportunities to score as he can be used in the slot or on the outside. Leave it to someone like Sean Payton to draw up ways for the All-Pro wideout to score.
2. 1,500 Receiving Yards
Each and every season, Thomas continues to set the bar higher for himself in every statistic. As a matter of fact, New Orleans' superstar pass catcher has improved his receiving yards in every one of his seasons in the NFL.
In 2016, Thomas had 1,137 receiving yards in his rookie season and has seen that number blossom to 1,405 yards in 2018. Could we see that number grow even further in 2019? It's absolutely within the realm of possibility for the talented wideout.
Again, the Saints have one of the best offenses in the NFL and Thomas is a key cog in the offense. Therefore, Thomas is going to receive a bulk of the targets through the air. More targets mean more yards for the fourth-year wide receiver out of Ohio State.
In the 2019 season, the Saints are trying to quickly forget about their loss in the NFC Championship Game to the Los Angeles Rams. Thomas, with a chip on his shoulder, may become an unstoppable force in the NFL.
1. 80% Catch Rate
People continue to overlook the fact that Michael Thomas caught a whopping 85% of his passes in 2018. The next closest receiver was Ryan Switzer, who caught 81.8% of his targets. The other leaders among the NFL were running backs who caught dumpoff passes in the backfield.
The only thing is, Switzer was targeted just 44 times compared to Thomas's 147. However, the Saints have one of the most accurate quarterbacks of all-time in Brees. Nonetheless, an 85% catch rate is going to be hard to top.
Therefore, fans should expect the number to come down a little bit—but just slightly. With Brees chucking the ball in Thomas's direction, a catch rate of 80% is 100% doable. Thomas' strong hands also allow him to catch passes that look uncatchable—he had just three drops in 2018.
The 2019 season can be yet another year in which Michael Thomas solidifies himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL. If Thomas can manage to get 10 touchdowns, 1,500 yards, and a catch rate of 80%, he will be well on his way to being one of the highest-paid receivers in the game.
Follow Us
Subscribe