Shaheed got off to a first 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 20-plus yards downfield were two more than any other player had at the time of his season-ending injury, and while he only caught three of those, all three catches 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 to 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 it's unclear who will throw him the ball, as Derek Carr reportedly wants out of New Orleans and may have shoulder surgery soon even if he stays.
