Devaughn Vele works hard for 3 catches, 39 yards

It seems like Brown is very unlikely to play at this point. His agility and long speed define his game as a gadget player and return specialist. His absence could benefit WR2 Devaughn Vele and WR Bryce Lance.

It was another solid outing for Vele, who has now caught 12 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown in his first two games this season. Vele’s biggest play came on a third-and-eight when he hauled in a 29-yard reception to extend a drive that ended with a Daniel Carlson field goal. Vele is the clear-cut WR2 for the Saints at this point and could be worth a dart throw in deeper leagues next week as a WR3/WR4 in Week 3 against the Raiders.

Underhill adds that Olave’s hamstring issue is not expected to be a “problem.” If this really is a non-issue, perhaps Olave just experienced cramping today and will be back out there on Friday, practicing in full. That said, soft tissue issues that pop up mid-week are typically not good. Saints No. 2 WR Devaughn Vele is worth adding if he is a free agent.

Vele stepped in as the Saints’ No. 2 receiver with Jordyn Tyson on injured reserve. He did a flawless impression of a top-10 pick, making multiple diving grabs to keep the Saints alive in the second half. The Saints acquired Vele via trade last offseason but couldn’t get him going until late in the season. He then missed the final month of the year with a shoulder issue. A healthy offseason seems to have done him well, and he’s now poised to be the No. 2 receiver on a fast, pass-heavy offense until Tyson returns. Vele will be a WR4 for his Week 2 matchup with the Ravens.

Tyson left practice last Thursday with a hamstring injury and sought opinions from multiple doctors over the weekend. Now he’s slated to miss roughly two months, according to Rapoport. It’s a tough blow for the 22-year-old receiver who also battled hamstring injuries during his college career. The Saints also drafted receivers Bryce Lance and Barion Brown, though Devaughn Vele could be first in line for additional targets while Tyson is out.

Vele’s season is over. He caught 25-of-36 targets for 293 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Saints acquired him via trade from the Broncos in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. Vele recently showed chemistry with Saints QB Tyler Shough, catching 5-of-6 targets for 69 yards in Week 15 against the Panthers before leaving due to the shoulder injury. He may be allowed to compete for No. 2 receiving duties behind WR Chris Olave next season.

Vele flew too high, winning multiple contested catches in Week 15 against the Panthers. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound wide receiver will now miss Week 16 after picking up a shoulder injury last week. Ideally, Vele returns in time to play in at least one more game and continues to carve out a role as a possession receiver in the Saints’ offense for next year. Saints WR Chris Olave became QB Tyler Shough’s go-to receiver only after Vele left last week’s contest.

Initially questionable to return, Vele never did. Vele was diving all over the place against the Panthers, catching 5-of-6 targets for 69 yards before exiting. The big-bodied wide receiver picked up multiple first downs and played a key role on the Saints’ 17-play third drive. He first found a soft spot in the Panthers’ zone coverage, gaining 10 yards on a curl route by picking up a few yards after the catch. He later went sky-high on a dagger route and high-pointed the ball before being met in the air by CB Mike Jackson, who tackled him for a 17-yard gain. He could be a boom-bust FLEX against the Jets next week, if active.

Vele’s 40 yards were a far cry from his shocking Week 13 total of 93, but he actually led the team as Tyler Shough attempted only 20 passes in rainy conditions. One of Vele’s grabs was a huge late third-down conversion. Having now easily consolidated Rashid Shaheed’s vacated targets in this high-attempts offense, Vele is displaying some WR4 juice. It’s just so hard to tiebreak in favor of a Saint with bye weeks over and the fantasy playoffs beginning. Despite an improving Shough, this remains a below-average fantasy environment.

Vele also recovered an onside kick late in the fourth quarter to keep hope alive for the Saints. They would eventually fail to convert a quarterback sneak on fourth down, putting their comeback effort to bed. Chris Olave dealt with back spasms in practice this week. He was listed as questionable heading into today’s game. Olave suited up but posted a quiet box score outside of a touchdown, catching just four passes. The back issue likely forced the Saints to lean on Vele—normally their No. 2 receiver—in this game. Olave should be healthier next week, putting Vele’s ceiling somewhere around the WR4/5 border versus the Bucs.