League's most underpaid player? It might be Saints wideout Michael Thomas, currently scheduled to make just $1.15 million in the final year of his rookie contract. Thomas has been one of the league's very best wideouts -- productive and reliable.
Thomas is looking to be the league's first $20 million per year wideout, and it sounds like that's going to happen. The Saints are supposedly offering $18-$19 million; not enough of a gap to think this won't get sorted out soon. Several other big-name wideouts are also looking for new deals. If Thomas gets his money soon, Julio Jones will get his shortly thereafter.
Thomas led the league with 125 receptions last season, which was 10 more than any other wide receiver. Most impressively, he caught 85 percent of the passes thrown his way. That was also the league's best total. He's working with Drew Brees, giving him an advantage over a lot of other receivers, but still pretty great.
| WIDE RECEIVER CATCH RATES, 2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ctch% |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 147 | 125 | 1405 | 11.2 | 9 | 85.0% |
| Ryan Switzer, Pitt. | 44 | 36 | 253 | 7.0 | 1 | 81.8% |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 70 | 57 | 965 | 16.9 | 10 | 81.4% |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 42 | 32 | 290 | 9.1 | 3 | 76.2% |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 87 | 65 | 672 | 10.3 | 3 | 74.7% |
| Danny Amendola, Mia. | 79 | 59 | 575 | 9.7 | 1 | 74.7% |
| Albert Wilson, Mia. | 35 | 26 | 391 | 15.0 | 4 | 74.3% |
| Adam Thielen, Minn. | 153 | 113 | 1373 | 12.2 | 9 | 73.9% |
| Chester Rogers, Ind. | 72 | 53 | 485 | 9.2 | 2 | 73.6% |
| Rashard Higgins, Cle. | 53 | 39 | 572 | 14.7 | 4 | 73.6% |
| Jarius Wright, Car. | 59 | 43 | 447 | 10.4 | 1 | 72.9% |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 55 | 40 | 566 | 14.2 | 6 | 72.7% |
| Sammy Watkins, K.C. | 55 | 40 | 519 | 13.0 | 3 | 72.7% |
| Adam Humphries, T.B. | 105 | 76 | 816 | 10.7 | 5 | 72.4% |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 98 | 71 | 868 | 12.2 | 4 | 72.4% |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 93 | 67 | 688 | 10.3 | 2 | 72.0% |
| Dontrelle Inman, Ind. | 39 | 28 | 304 | 10.9 | 3 | 71.8% |
| Jordy Nelson, Oak. | 88 | 63 | 739 | 11.7 | 3 | 71.6% |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 136 | 97 | 1196 | 12.3 | 6 | 71.3% |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 45 | 32 | 503 | 15.7 | 4 | 71.1% |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 92 | 65 | 843 | 13.0 | 6 | 70.7% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 163 | 115 | 1572 | 13.7 | 11 | 70.6% |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 108 | 76 | 1028 | 13.5 | 7 | 70.4% |
| Seth Roberts, Oak. | 64 | 45 | 494 | 11.0 | 2 | 70.3% |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 94 | 66 | 838 | 12.7 | 4 | 70.2% |
| Amari Cooper, Oak-Dal. | 107 | 75 | 1005 | 13.4 | 7 | 70.1% |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 92 | 64 | 821 | 12.8 | 10 | 69.6% |
| Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 149 | 102 | 1021 | 10.0 | 9 | 68.5% |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 108 | 74 | 850 | 11.5 | 6 | 68.5% |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 73 | 50 | 618 | 12.4 | 5 | 68.5% |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 117 | 80 | 1204 | 15.1 | 5 | 68.4% |
| Keke Coutee, Hou. | 41 | 28 | 287 | 10.3 | 1 | 68.3% |
| Ryan Grant, Ind. | 52 | 35 | 334 | 9.5 | 1 | 67.3% |
| D.J. Moore, Car. | 82 | 55 | 788 | 14.3 | 2 | 67.1% |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 166 | 111 | 1426 | 12.8 | 7 | 66.9% |
| DaeSean Hamilton, Den. | 45 | 30 | 243 | 8.1 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Demarcus Robinson, K.C. | 33 | 22 | 288 | 13.1 | 4 | 66.7% |
| Geronimo Allison, G.B. | 30 | 20 | 303 | 15.2 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 170 | 113 | 1677 | 14.8 | 8 | 66.5% |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den-Hou. | 89 | 59 | 677 | 11.5 | 5 | 66.3% |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 130 | 86 | 1219 | 14.2 | 6 | 66.2% |
| Taywan Taylor, Ten. | 56 | 37 | 466 | 12.6 | 1 | 66.1% |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 97 | 64 | 736 | 11.5 | 4 | 66.0% |
| Laquon Treadwell, Minn. | 53 | 35 | 302 | 8.6 | 1 | 66.0% |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 169 | 111 | 1386 | 12.5 | 13 | 65.7% |
| Golden Tate, Det-Phi. | 113 | 74 | 795 | 10.7 | 4 | 65.5% |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 101 | 66 | 717 | 10.9 | 5 | 65.3% |
| Willie Snead, Bal. | 95 | 62 | 651 | 10.5 | 1 | 65.3% |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 66 | 43 | 664 | 15.4 | 10 | 65.2% |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 66 | 42 | 487 | 11.6 | 4 | 63.6% |
| Chris Hogan, N.E. | 55 | 35 | 532 | 15.2 | 3 | 63.6% |
| TreQuan Smith, N.O. | 44 | 28 | 427 | 15.3 | 5 | 63.6% |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 137 | 87 | 1479 | 17.0 | 12 | 63.5% |
| Trent Taylor, S.F. | 41 | 26 | 215 | 8.3 | 1 | 63.4% |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 120 | 76 | 1270 | 16.7 | 6 | 63.3% |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 68 | 43 | 590 | 13.7 | 3 | 63.2% |
| Tyrell Williams, LAC | 65 | 41 | 653 | 15.9 | 5 | 63.1% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 138 | 86 | 1524 | 17.7 | 8 | 62.3% |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 61 | 38 | 383 | 10.1 | 2 | 62.3% |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 124 | 77 | 1052 | 13.7 | 6 | 62.1% |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 95 | 59 | 842 | 14.3 | 7 | 62.1% |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 168 | 104 | 1297 | 12.5 | 15 | 61.9% |
| Jakeem Grant, Mia. | 34 | 21 | 268 | 12.8 | 2 | 61.8% |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 107 | 66 | 872 | 13.2 | 4 | 61.7% |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 112 | 69 | 734 | 10.6 | 6 | 61.6% |
| Chris Conley, K.C. | 52 | 32 | 334 | 10.4 | 5 | 61.5% |
| Robert Foster, Buf. | 44 | 27 | 541 | 20.0 | 3 | 61.4% |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 54 | 33 | 423 | 12.8 | 7 | 61.1% |
| Curtis Samuel, Car. | 65 | 39 | 494 | 12.7 | 5 | 60.0% |
| Dante Pettis, S.F. | 45 | 27 | 467 | 17.3 | 5 | 60.0% |
| Isaiah McKenzie, Den-Buf. | 30 | 18 | 179 | 9.9 | 0 | 60.0% |
One of the interesting things with a table like this is it shows you stuff about other players that you maybe weren't expecting. For example, Tyler Lockett up near the top of the list. There's an old idea of him as a deep threat, but he's also very efficient -- and his targets should increase this season, with Doug Baldwin gone. And then also near the top is Phillip Dorsett, in line for an expanded role in New England: Hogan gone, Gordon a question mark, Edelman dealing with a thumb injury of some sort.
Back to Thomas. This will probably get resolved soon, and he'll put up huge numbers (especially PPR) again. Only negative is you wonder how much long Drew Brees will play, but that's more of a down the road concern. Looks very safe as a top-5 wideout.
--Andy Richardson