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The New Orleans Saints and the Fantasy Football community lost one of their superstars on Thursday with wide receiver Rashid Shahid ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season after having surgery to completely repair the meniscus in his knee. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones Reports. New Orleans placed the 26-year-old undrafted free agent out of Weber on injured reserve with a recovery timeline of 4-6 months.
Shahid earned the first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections of his career in 2023 as a kick returner, but expanded his game as a receiver in 2024. Shahid was on pace to set a career-high in touchdowns after catching three in his first six games of the year 2024, and had a career average of 17.5 yards per catch in 2024. This ranked second in the NFL among 48 players with at least 20 catches through the first six weeks of 2024.
*Out of 48 players with 20+ catch points
Shahid was also averaging a league-best 15.9 yards per punt return this season.
All four of his touchdowns — three receiving and a 54-yard return — in 2024 were 40 yards or more. He is the sixth player since 2000 to have four touchdowns of 40 or more yards in the first six games of a season alongside Ja’Marr Chase (2024), Anton Smith (2014), DeSean Jackson (2009) and Myles Austin (2009). and Marcus Robinson (2000). Shahid’s highlight this year came when he ran for a 70-yard receiving touchdown in New Orleans’ 44-19 road win at the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 by splitting two deep Dallas safeties and making his way into the end zone.
The Saints offense will have an uphill climb in Week 7 on “Thursday Night Football” against former Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton. Quarterback Derek Carr, guard Cesar Ruiz, and wide receiver Chris Olave join Shahid among the inactives. Shahid and Olaf account for 50.4% of the Saints receiving yards in 2024, according to CBS Sports Research.
Rookie Spencer Rattler will get a short break in Week 7 with Pat Surtain II ruled out of the Broncos All-Pro team due to a concussion. Surtain’s 14.7 opposition passer rating this season is the best in the NFL, among those who have been targeted 20 times.
