Rawls Value

[SmokingMonkey]

I have a feeling he's gonna be throwing a lot to Fleener

you don't say?
Getting that Fleener tent pitched nice and early this season.
Love it.

 

[Brees#1]

No it's just the saints run a TE friendly offense. Fleener cost them some games last year and many believe he needed to learn the system more. I'm concerned about the breakout wall for Thomas and that will leave of all people Ginn Jr to make plays. I just don't see it.

 

[SteelersPride]

omg are we touting fleener again

 

[eaglesnut]

Most definitely not. He's probably a third rounder like Cooks was and that might be too high for me to take him. Brees loves the second-year bounceback player so I have a feeling he's gonna be throwing a lot to Fleener, which is going to hurt Thomas' value as the TE if productive is the main redzone target. And then SP didn't bring on Ginn for nothing and he's going to exploit Kamara and AP. They may be running the ball a lot more next year with RB changes they have made. I don't see another 11 TD season or one with TDs spread across. Given that first year successes almost always are followed by sophomore slumps in terms of fantasy value, it just makes sense to me to see Thomas not get as much productive. If he is, I hate to think of what will be of the saints offense next year in the event of a injury.

I see it pretty much the opposite. Thomas is an elite QB's top weapon and he's only getting better. Everything else in that offense is second fiddle. They added Ginn to send him deep and make one big play per month. If they run it more it will be because overall they are better, not because of any change in philosophy. Brees is still going to huck it because he's one of the best at it and it's easy to score points that way.

 

[averagejoe]

The Saints have historically spread the ball around under Payton. They never seem to lean on any one player. Any disparity in yardage that seems to point to certain players is really more of a reflection of how explosive the play-calling is - taking advantage of what the defense is giving them. And in that respect, I expect defenses to key in on Thomas moreso this year.

Doesn't mean he won't get decent yardage. But I don't think there will be a massive explosion of yardage many are expecting.