Saints’ Michael Thomas cracks top-five, ranked best receiver by NFL Network

Michael Thomas was the highest-ranked Saints’ player of the seven listed in NFL Network’s Top 100. He was also the top-ranked receiver in the league.

After Saints’ future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees came in at No. 12 and five others also were ranked, we knew 2019’s Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas was destined to be in the top ten.

There were two receivers, Thomas and Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins, that were finalists as the ten were named before they were ordered. Thomas was the only one that cracked the top ten, coming in at No. 5.

There was Aaron Donald and three quarterbacks ahead of him. Donald came in at No. 3, Patrick Mahomes was No. 4, Russell Wilson at No. 2 and then Lamar Jackson topped NFL Network’s list at No. 1.

As for the Saints, Marshon Lattimore, Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, Drew Brees, Ryan Ramczyk and Alvin Kamara all made the cut. Terron Armstead and potentially Marcus Williams were the only ones that even sniff the snub list.

Thomas was more than deserving of being a top-five player. Already having given a nine-figure contract, Thomas went out and proved to New Orleans that he was worth every penny of it in 2019.

He had a historic receiving year even with the team’s backup quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, playing in five of the team’s 16 games.

Even with Bridgewater, Thomas kept pace and easily snapped Marvin Harrison‘s single-season receptions record. He also led the league in yards as Thomas was easily the most integral part of the Saints’ offense.

A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Thomas has erupted as the league’s best receiver although some doubt his might and claim he only runs slant routes and benefits off the uber-accurate Drew Brees.

While there is some truth to Thomas’ dominance over the middle, his league-leading 1,725 yards were no joke. That said, NFL Network got it right — Michael Thomas is the best receiver in the NFL.