Week 3 Fantasy Football Advice: Is WR Rashid Shaheed Legit?

Welcome back to your direct line of fantasy football advice, our mailbag article series powered by the Fantasy Football Advice Network.

This is your path to expert advice, where we tackle your questions and provide valuable insights to help you make informed decisions. As the season progresses, we understand the importance of making the right choices to secure those crucial wins. The In-Between Media (IBT) team and I are here to answer your queries and keep your fantasy rosters strong.

If you would like to submit a question, be sure to tag us on the Fantasy Football Advice Network.

Fantasy Football Advice: Week 3 Mailbag

Would you Trade Amari Cooper or Tyjae Spears for Rashid Shaheed? — @TheGeezer

Context: After an 0-1 start, he scored 194 points in Week 2 to move up from the bottom to fourth place in his league standings. Amari Cooper and Andrei Iosivas are his bench WRs. Tyjae Spears and Trey Benson are his bench RBs, with Jonathon Brooks and Nick Chubb on Injured Reserve (IR).

First off, expect plenty of these fantasy football trade talks moving forward earlier than ever. That being said, bring them on.

Context is key, which is why I detailed the user’s situation and roster. One can argue that Rashid Shaheed remains a boom-or-bust player, while in other leagues, he’s simply a strong FLEX option.

I’m typically more cautious about straight-up trades based on individual circumstances and how much I can impact my roster, even with one player. However, I’m all aboard the Rashid Shaheed train in this specific scenario. I would do what I can to acquire him (without giving up your entire roster). That said, there are a couple of things to consider, especially regarding the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans Saints Distribution: Chris Olave & Rashid Shaheed

One valid pushback on buying high stocks on Shaheed is his workload with Chris Olave.

The Rashid Shaheed hype train reached its peak after another Derek Carr 70-yard touchdown bomb, which was a blessing (or a curse) from the fantasy football gods. He was a boom-or-bust play last season due to his inconsistent touches, but the Saints are also under a completely new offense. Klint Kubiak has brought out the best in Carr and company.

The Saints have scored 91 points in their first two games. The 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 1970 Dallas Cowboys are the only teams to achieve this feat. Both also went on to win the Super Bowl.

Olave had a higher target share (37.5%) in Week 2 and caught a 39-yard reception early on. The tricky key to highlight is that the Saints’ wins were blowouts, which leaves more room on the ground, hence Alvin Kamara‘s four-touchdown Week 2 performance. While it is too early to tell, the Saints’ run-dominant offense could raise concerns for the WR’s fantasy values.

However, there’s a silver lining. Carr loves to show off his arm strength and look downfield, in which Shaheed benefits more as a true deep threat over Olave. Overall, it does not hurt to have either Olave or Shaheed. As a Las Vegas Raiders fan, I know firsthand that when a receiver earns Carr’s trust, he will fall in love with them and zone in on them (to a fault). I wouldn’t sweat this debate.

Considering Geezer’s Current Fantasy Football Roster

Tyjae Spears had some promise coming into the 2024 season after backing up Derrick Henry last season. Tony Pollard was coming off a disappointing season, and I was not expecting much from him. Yet, he has rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown in two games. That said, I still hold out hope that Spears will ultimately become the RB1 in Tennessee, where his value will skyrocket with Will Levis struggling thus far.

Meanwhile, Amari Cooper’s season has been disappointing. He only secured 7.7 PPR points through the Cleveland Browns’ first two games. Deshaun Watson‘s struggles are not helping whatsoever, but his favorite target remains Cooper. If I were asked to buy or sell Cooper last week, I would have made some calls for a trade. However, the WR market is fickle, with many top players landing on the IR so early.

Andrei Iosivas is off to a hot start, but his production remains a question when Tee Higgins returns from injury. Therefore, I am not ready to give up on Cooper just yet, especially in Week 3 against a weak New York Giants secondary. Jonathon Brooks and Nick Chubb are solid insurance options when they return, and Trey Benson’s workload will only increase as RB2 behind James Conner.

The Verdict

I’m trading Tyjae Spears for Rashid Shaheed. Yes, there’s the risk of Shaheed returning to his usual four-target, 3.4-PPR points game like last season. However, I’m a fan of his connection with Carr in a solid Kubiak-called offense. With such a depleted receiver market, I want to take and keep all of the receivers as much as humanly possible. If Cooper does not pan out, he can still be dealt with for lower-tiered WRs.

Regardless, Rashid Shaheed is a solid FLEX if he stays hot.

Check out all of our Week 3 fantasy football content:

Thanks for reading our Week 3 Fantasy Football Mailbag, powered by the Fantasy Football Advice Network. Check out more of our fantasy football and other written content here at In-Between Media, or head over to our YouTube channel to get your fix via video.

Follow me on Twitter/X @nrojo5 for more fantasy football & sports takes.

*Photo Credit: Tim Heitman- USA TODAY Sports*

Nicolette Rojo

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?

Queue

Week 3 Fantasy Football Advice Mailbag: Rashid Shaheed Season (2024)