The New Orleans Saints just couldn’t catch a break in 2024. After exploding for 91 points in their opening two games of the season, things fell off a cliff offensively. Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed was enjoying a great start to the season, but was sidelined for the year after six games, soon to be followed by WR Chris Olave and eventually QB Derek Carr.
With Carr gone and Spencer Rattler under center, the team hopes for an offensive resurrection with both of its starting wide receivers back to start the year. But will Shaheed be back to 100% in Week 1?
Examining Rashid Shaheed’s Availability for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season
In the opening weeks of the 2024 season, Shaheed was almost impossible for opposing defenses to stop. The electric receiver had recorded 349 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns through six weeks, adding a further score on a punt return.
Following their Week 6 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though, it was revealed that the receiver was dealing with a meniscus injury. That injury required season-ending surgery, forcing Shaheed to watch on as his teammates floundered without him.
Having missed such a significant amount of time, can Shaheed really be fully ready for NFL action? Well, according to the team’s media releases, the receiver looks to have been at his explosive best throughout the preseason.
Videos released by the Saints on social media show Shaheed beating defenders on routes and making plays, which will delight Saints fans. Having gone undrafted in 2022, the Saints star has made incredible progress and was rivalling Olave for the lead receiver role on the team before his injury.
Shaheed’s 2025 Fantasy Outlook
Shaheed has been an afterthought in fantasy football this year and is available in the late 12th round of drafts. Question marks around the team’s quarterback situation have affected the perceived values of both Shaheed and Olave during the offseason.
Second-year player Spencer Rattler has beaten out second-round rookie Tyler Shough for the starting job, despite losing all six of his starts in 2024. However, Rattler faced a tough task last year, with Shaheed and Olave both sidelined.
If Rattler can be even average in terms of accuracy, Olave and Shaheed should prove great values at their draft ADPs. Like Olave, Shaheed carries a significant injury risk, but that is baked into his 12th-round price.
The Saints star is one of the most explosive receivers in the NFL and is a home run threat on every play. Due to his boom/bust tendencies, he is more valuable in Best Ball but can produce huge weeks on just one or two plays.
If he stays healthy, a WR3 finish isn’t out of the question in 2025.
