Emmanuel Sanders addition will hurt Michael Thomas fantasy value

The Saints brought in Emmanuel Sanders this offseason, and his addition may limit Michael Thomas’ effectiveness in fantasy football.

As football approaches in the fall, fantasy football will become a highly talked about subject. As for the best receiver in the NFL fantasy-wise, Michael Thomas will again be a highly sought-after pick, and he may go in the first round in some drafts.

While early second round is also a viable option, Thomas will be a stud. However, given the two-year signing of Emmanuel Sanders and his projected impact on the offense, there’s no denying that Thomas’ value will take a hit.

In point-per-reception leagues, Thomas was arguably a top-five player behind Christian McCaffrey and Lamar Jackson.

He was that good racking up an NFL-record 149 receptions. It wasn’t just PPR leagues as Thomas also notched over 1,700 yards, easily the most in the NFL. That said, he had arguably the best seeason in league history by a receiver.

That seems unlikely to repeat itself in 2020 for a few reasons, and Sanders, who has three 1,000-yard seasons of his own and multiple Pro Bowl selections, will see a much higher number of targets than the Saints former No. 2 receiver, Ted Ginn Jr.

The uptick of targets to the No. 2 will decrease Thomas’ targets. It may decrease them significantly to be honest. Even if the team is better offensively, Sanders will see quite a bit of action. It’s not even just Sanders though.

The improved play of Jared Cook and Alvin Kamara will also hurt Thomas’ play. He should still be the No. 1 fantasy receiver. While DeAndre Hopkins and others will have something to say about it, Thomas and Brees have become a dominant duo.

However, don’t expect that same Michael Thomas that routinely won fantasy games to be the player that takes the field in 2020. The Saints beefed-up roster won’t be kind to superstars’ fantasy value, and even Alvin Kamara’s numbers will likely see a decline in fantasy points.