Devaughn

Vele

Vele brought in a one-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10-10. It would be the last points the Saints would score. Vele has hovered around these numbers through the first half of 2026, and while he provides Shough with a nice safety valve, it’s not exactly what fantasy managers should be chasing. He’ll be a WR4 in Week 9 against the Browns after the Saints “enjoy” their bye in Week 8.

The Saints offense has not pushed the ball downfield over the past two weeks, leading to low-scoring outputs for Vele. He caught three passes on the day, and nearly reeled in a fourth catch on a Tyler Shough sideline overthrow in the second quarter. When the Saints aren’t in a pass-happy game script, Vele is relegated to touchdown-dependent FLEX value. He will be in the WR4 ranks against the Steelers for Week 7.

Tyler Shough managed a dismal 96 passing yards in this game, so there simply wasn’t enough production for any New Orleans wideout to post usable fantasy numbers. Vele still tied Chris Olave for a team-high in targets. He has at least four catches and six targets in every game this year. Even after a quiet Week 5, Vele remains a solid WR4 option headed into a Week 6 date with the Giants.

Vele’s nine targets ranked behind only alpha Chris Olave, although he was headed for another modest fantasy outing before a garbage time touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of the blowout loss. Vele has yet to eclipse 69 yards through the first month of play as he continues to operate in an intermediate role for a Saints team struggling to attack downfield. Fantasy managers could consider sitting Vele against the ferocious Vikings defense in Week 5.

Vele nearly added a decent first-down pickup to his box score, but he was unable to secure the pass as he was diving to the ground. Aside from that, he had a nice 17-yard gain in which he ripped his leg away from a would-be tackler and scampered away for a few extra yards. Vele is a boom-bust FLEX against the Falcons next week.

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.