Fantasy Football: 4 Things We Learned From Week 7

Michael Thomas Is the Truth

Perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising that the nephew of Keyshawn Johnson is good at football. But just to assure you, Michael Thomas, the New Orleans Saints' rookie and number-three receiver, is getting close to must-start territory.

Thomas turned heads in the preseason when Drew Brees and other coaching staff repeatedly praised his on-field intelligence. Sean Payton even went so far as to say that if he played fantasy football, he'd want Thomas on his team.

But Thomas didn't see much action the first few weeks of the season, buried behind Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead. Yet when Snead when down in Week 3, Thomas had a chance to show what he made made of. Since then, he's proven that he was a steal in the second round of the NFL draft.

Prior to Week 7, his 0.84 Reception NEP per target ranked 13th among the 61 wide receivers with at least 30 targets, while his 88.4% Reception Success Rate ranked 25th. So, as a rookie, Thomas is already performing well-above league average in terms of efficiency and is moving the chains consistently.

Thomas scored in three straight games prior to his 10-catch, 130-yard game against the Kansas City Chiefs. And since Week 3, his fantasy floor has been 9.6 PPR points.

Moreover, he's now on pace for 96 catches, 1,165 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 2016. Those numbers would have placed him as the 13th-highest scoring wide receiver in PPR leagues in 2015.

Thomas should remain very fantasy-relevant for the rest of 2016. Buy him now if one of your league members somehow still thinks his recent performance is a flash in the pan.