Shaheed got off to a fast start in 2024, his third pro season, looking ready to challenge for his first 1,000-yard campaign until a Week 6 meniscus tear stopped him in his tracks. He caught only 20 of 41 targets pre-injury, but with career highs for yards per catch (17.5), aDOT (17.6) and targets per game (6.8). Shaheed's 15 targets of 20-plus yards were two more than any other receiver had at the time of his season-ending injury, and while he caught only three of those, all three went for touchdowns (of 70, 59 and 43 yards). He's one of the best undrafted players of recent years, having initially caught on with the Saints in 2022 as a return specialist before quickly becoming a downfield threat on offense. The only downside so far is that Shaheed's excellent work on returns hasn't translated into success catching short passes and gaining yards after the catch -- he has just 371 career receiving yards on targets within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. The timing of his injury should allow Shaheed to make a full recovery before training camp, at which point he'll be playing for a new coaching staff and will still have only concussion-prone Chris Olave as serious competition for targets. The problem, apart from Shaheed's lack of short-area production, is that the Saints are a candidate for worst-in-the-league QB play. Derek Carr's retirement may set up a summer job battle between second-round rookie Tyler Shough and 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler.
