Could be No. 1 wideout Saturday Shaheed appears to be in line to serve as the Saints' No. 1 receiver Saturday in Cleveland with Chris Olave (hamstring) ruled out for the contest and with Jarvis Landry (hamstring)... Impact Though the undrafted rookie out of Weber State didn't make his NFL debut until Week 6 and was initially deployed as a return man and gadget player, Shaheed has pushed for a more prominent role on offense in recent weeks. His snap share on offense has steadily been trending upward for each of the past six games, culminating in a breakout Week 15 outing against Atlanta in which he hauled in three of four targets for 95 yards and a touchdown while playing 71 percent of the snaps. While he can't be considered a safe bet to match nearly the eight targets per game Olave has earned this season, Shaheed should at least be more of a priority in the passing attack this week than either Tre'Quan Smith or Marquez Callaway. According to Sigler, Shaheed has run 89 routes since Week 11, while Callaway and Smith have ran only 12 and 10, respectively. That said, with heavy winds and temperatures around 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the forecast for Cleveland on Saturday, it wouldn't be surprising if Shaheed's opportunities are limited in the likelihood that both teams favor run-heavy game plans.
DECEMBER 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE