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The New Orleans Saints tried to play some mind games with the Las Vegas Raiders, but on Saturday they finally stated the obvious. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has been ruled out for Week 2 Monday Night Football following an ankle sprain in Week 1.
Thomas injured his ankle against the Bucs in a game that saw him catch three passes for 17 yards. Early in preparations for Week 2, NFL Network reported Thomas could miss “several weeks” with the injury, but the Saints played coy. We heard reports he was feeling better even though he wasn’t practicing. However, after a week of no practice, the Saints ruled him out.
Fantasy impact: WR Michael Thomas injury
Thomas’ absence means Emmanuel Sanders will be the No. 1 receiver and Tre’Quan Smith will be the No. 2 receiver. Alvin Kamara is the team’s top pass catcher with Thomas out of the lineup, and Smith will be competing with Jared Cook for looks. Taysom Hill will get some additional work in Thomas’ absence, and Deonte Harris moves up the wide receiver depth chart.
From that group, Kamara, Sanders, and Cook are all strong starts in Week 2. Smith is a flex at best, and a roll of the dice even in that role. Hill is an option in deeper leagues, but it’s hard to get too excited about him given the lack of consistency week over week.