Factoid

April 20, 2020

Michael Thomas

Brees, Thomas are masters of playing the percentages

The Saints are doing really cool stuff with Michael Thomas. They’re jamming a lot of balls his way, and defenses haven’t been able to take him away. Two years in a row, he’s caught over 80 percent of the passes thrown his way.

That’s unusual. In the last 29 seasons, only seven other wide receivers have had at least 100 targets in a season and caught more than 75 percent of the balls thrown their way. If you can even get over 70 percent on completions to a wide receiver, that’s good.

Pro Football Reference has a nice stat site. It includes targets dating back to 1992. According to those numbers, Thomas has the only two seasons with a wide receiver seeing at least 100 targets and catching over 80 percent of those throws.

I’ve got him in bold, and I’ve also tagged 2011 Marques Colston with a black dots. Colston underscores that while Thomas is great, some of the success needs to be attributed to Drew Brees and Sean Payton. Colston was an earlier, less talented version of Thomas, and he had a season at almost 75 percent while playing in the same role.

CATCHING 75 PERCENT OF PASS ATTEMPTS
Year	Player	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Pct
2018	Michael Thomas, N.O.	147	125	1405	11.2	9	85.0%
2019	Michael Thomas, N.O.	185	149	1725	11.6	9	80.5%
2007	Wes Welker, N.E.	145	112	1175	10.5	8	77.2%
2012	Randall Cobb, G.B.	104	80	954	11.9	8	76.9%
2017	Golden Tate, Det.	120	92	1003	10.9	5	76.7%
2016	Michael Thomas, N.O.	121	92	1137	12.4	9	76.0%
2009	Wes Welker, N.E.	162	123	1348	11.0	4	75.9%
2015	Doug Baldwin, Sea.	103	78	1069	13.7	14	75.7%
2016	Doug Baldwin, Sea.	125	94	1128	12.0	7	75.2%
2015	Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.	145	109	1215	11.2	9	75.2%
2014	Jarvis Landry, Mia.	112	84	758	9.0	5	75.0%
2016	Stefon Diggs, Min.	112	84	903	10.8	3	75.0%
2011	• Marques Colston, N.O.	107	80	1143	14.3	8	74.8%
1992	Curtis Duncan, Hou.	110	82	954	11.6	1	74.5%
2019	Tyler Lockett, Sea.	110	82	1057	12.9	8	74.5%
2008	Wes Welker, N.E.	149	111	1165	10.5	3	74.5%
1994	Jerry Rice, S.F.	151	112	1499	13.4	13	74.2%
2004	Hines Ward, Pitt.	108	80	1004	12.6	4	74.1%
2018	Adam Thielen, Min.	153	113	1373	12.2	9	73.9%
1994	Terance Mathis, Atl.	151	111	1342	12.1	11	73.5%
1993	Mike Pritchard, Atl.	102	74	736	10.0	7	72.5%
2018	Adam Humphries, T.B.	105	76	816	10.7	5	72.4%
2011	Percy Harvin, Min.	121	87	967	11.1	6	71.9%
1999	Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ	124	89	1170	13.2	8	71.8%
2016	Jarvis Landry, Mia.	131	94	1136	12.1	4	71.8%
2014	Randall Cobb, G.B.	127	91	1287	14.1	12	71.7%
2014	Emmanuel Sanders, Den.	141	101	1404	13.9	9	71.6%
2003	Derrick Mason, Ten.	133	95	1303	13.7	8	71.4%
2017	Tyreek Hill, K.C.	105	75	1183	15.8	7	71.4%
2016	Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.	150	107	1023	9.6	6	71.3%
2018	Keenan Allen, LAC	136	97	1196	12.3	6	71.3%
2014	Antonio Brown, Pitt.	181	129	1698	13.2	13	71.3%
2001	Troy Brown, N.E.	142	101	1199	11.9	5	71.1%
2019	Chris Godwin, T.B.	121	86	1333	15.5	9	71.1%
1996	Jerry Rice, S.F.	153	108	1254	11.6	8	70.6%
2018	DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.	163	115	1572	13.7	11	70.6%
2008	Eddie Royal, Den.	129	91	980	10.8	5	70.5%
2011	Wes Welker, N.E.	173	122	1569	12.9	9	70.5%
2015	Antonio Brown, Pitt.	193	136	1834	13.5	10	70.5%
2018	Tyler Boyd, Cin.	108	76	1028	13.5	7	70.4%
2015	Golden Tate, Det.	128	90	813	9.0	6	70.3%
2015	Jeremy Maclin, K.C.	124	87	1088	12.5	8	70.2%
2007	Bobby Engram, Sea.	134	94	1147	12.2	6	70.1%
2019	Cooper Kupp, LAR	134	94	1161	12.4	10	70.1%
2018	Amari Cooper, Oak.-Dall.	107	75	1005	13.4	7	70.1%
2008	Anquan Boldin, Ariz.	127	89	1038	11.7	11	70.1%
2002	Hines Ward, Pitt.	160	112	1329	11.9	12	70.0%
2014	Odell Beckham, NYG	130	91	1305	14.3	12	70.0%

—Ian Allan

Older

Newer

My dad and I have subscribed since I was 10 years old and I am 38 now. We canʼt go a season without it.

Trevor T. Sparks, Nev.

You guys are great - if you look at my account, I believe I have been a subscriber for around 20 years! Unfortunately, a few years ago a couple of other owners found the same publication (they didnʼt get it from me; I always disguised the sheets while at the draft!)

Michael B. St. Charles, Mo.

I have purchased your magazine since my first fantasy football season ever 12 season ago and love the insight you offer. Thank you for the great service, I look forward to many many more years of enjoying your subscription!

Paul L. Mequon, Wisc.

The magazine is exactly the same as last year, which is perfect. Boys, we have a chance to repeat in the 33rd year of the NWFFL. I am counting on you to help pull it off. FI has been a league staple for decades, one of my guys has every edition. A few years ago, we devised a clever way to use one of your lists to draft a team for an absent owner, the sob won it all. We love you guys. Peace!

Glenn S. Olympia, Wash.

Hi, received my copy over the weekend and I think it's the best work you guys have done (I've been reading your publication since 1988). The writing is terrific and full of good humor, along with more substance than anybody else has.

Keep up the great work!

John L. Madison, Wis.

I'm in 3 leagues. All have different formats. I bought one magazine, the same magazine for 30 years. I keep the Fantasy Football Index handy and refer back to your preseason reports throughout the season to help me evaluate roster moves in every format. This week I'm in two championship games and a semifinal. Did I tell you I'm in three leagues? Three playoff teams! Best fantasy season ever. Thank you.

Henry G. Bartlett, Ill.

Thanks for another great season of Fantasy Index, you avoid group-think and form your own opinions, and always have. I've been using your products since 1992, and you've always been a cut above the rest.

Rob D. Wellington, Fla.

Thank you for all you do and what your team does. Been playing since mid 90s and your mag has been there every year. The mailer I get with the questions on the front is what I consider the beginning of the fantasy football season. Get the updates and listen to the podcast. I write a weekly column for the newspaper I work at and always appreciate the work you put in to produce as much as you do. Just a fan saying thanks and will keep up with you and the site through the season.

Jason C. Tulsa, Okla.

A little feedback from a long time customer.

Our fantasy pool is entering its 25^th year and I have used multiple books and on-line tools over the years.

I have locked on to Fantasy Index as my go to for the last 5 years and have won the pool 3 of those years and finished no lower than 4^th.

Interesting to see how much more accurate you were at the end of the year compared to other books my competitors used.

Having it in a format that allows me to work the forecasts to match our scoring system and then receive updates as the season approaches is invaluable. Whoever your sources are for the forecasts are the best. Hang on to them. Thanks for the help!!

Peter M. London, Ontario, Canada

I did receive the updated draft ranking from you guys in plenty of time for my draft that night. My draft report gave me an A+ and predicted me to go 14-0 and win my league! I just want to say thank you for the excellent customer service that your company provided me. When I first started playing fantasy football more than 15 years ago, I used to buy as many fantasy football magazines as I could find. It wasnʼt long before I only purchased Fantasy Football Index each year. It is by far the most comprehensive, well written fantasy football magazine on the market. Also, I almost always rank in the top three in my fantasy football leagues, and won my league last year. Thank you to you and all of your great team. You have a customer for life!

Trey C. Fort Worth, Texas

Thank you for all the updates etc. In the last 14 or 15 years, we have placed in the top three 9 times winning it all 4 times. I have been a customer of yours for many years. Our success is partially due to luck, but I think your magazine with all of the good stuff has been a real contributing factor. Keep up the good work. Will be a customer until the time I can't read anymore.

Richard M. Imperial, Neb.

I just wanted to send everyone at Fantasy Football Index an apology. Since 2003 (Ricky Williams cover), I've protected my source of information and have gone out of my way to hide Fantasy Football Index from my leagues prying eyes. I've won championships in leagues and money playing Daily Fantasy and your Training Camp updates are the highlight of my summer and a recurring order for me every single season. I just wanted to Thank You and everyone there (customer service, the writers, janitors, secretaries and assistants) for your hard work and dedication.

You are appreciated and valued part of my Fantasy Football Operations department even if i never speak your name in fear that others in my league will discover the wondrous bounty of knowledge contained in your pages…

From the bottom of a champion's heart,

Dave M. Elma, N.Y.

I wanted to send a quick note and thank you for your great magazine! The information you provide, has allowed me to win my league 3 years in a row!

The payoff in the league is not bad, six hundred dollars to be exact, but it is those all important bragging rights that really make it fun!

I epically enjoyed this last issue because you included all the covers for the past 30 years, I did not buy 87, and 88, but all the rest I have purchased.

All I have to do is read and then plug and play, thanks again for doing all the work so I don't have to, except for cash the check of course! Lol.

I will be continue to purchase your magazine, and recommend it to others, although I don't like to give away my secret!

I typically don't write emails to magazines, but after 3 wins in a row, and others which I did not list, I felt like you would like to know.

Thanks again to you and your staff,

Darrell W. Holt, Mich.

I wanted to let you know I finished my season going 16-0 winning my league, breaking every record in our 19 year history along the way. A special thank you to FI for the insightful knowledge as it provided me much help along the way.

Ryan M. Lynnwood, Wash.

You guys do a great job. I got laughed at by a few people at the draft but they're not laughing now. I'm leading the league in record (8-1) and PF thus far.

John W. Aylett, Va.

And a side note… we've got a re-draft 16-team, 20 players drafted league (drafting water boys by the 17^th round) that I've won 2 years in a row. Nobody's ever done that in 21 years… using your cheat sheet. it's an old school league that used to draft out of piles of magazines.

Thanks again,

Todd S. Grand Junction, Colo.

This is my ninth year competing with my two very savey adult children and their 11 regulars to make it a 14 team draft with a $200 bid limit. Your SuperFanatic package has put me into the 6 team play- offs 4 out of the 8 years and there is no way I could compete with these guys without my cheat sheets! They still have no idea how I can be so lucky every year :-) Cheaters do prosper!!!!

Robert A.

I wanted to thank you for such an amazing product and your customer service. I ordered the wrong date for my update and called to correct the mistake. Your customer service person was very kind, helpful and took care of the issue immediately.

I have used your product for the past 18 years or so… Every now and then I will be tempted and look at what other magazines have to offer, quickly realizing no one comes close.

In addition to the magazine, I started buying the weekly updates years ago when my dad taught me a lesson. The draft came and dad was sitting in the 12 hole for his pick. He told me he felt very comfortable about who he was going to select but would not tell me who his prized gem was to be. I was doubtful. The pick? Priest Holmes (his first dynamite year). I remember telling my dad, "that is a decent pick but they plan to pull him at the goal line." Ever the teacher, dad explained he had purchased the Fantasy Football Index update and read Holmes would get the goal line carries. "Update?", I asked. That was 2002 and Holmes had 21 rushing TDs and Dad won the title! Lesson learned.

By the way, I have made the title game for the last 5 years in a row. Thanks for the detailed, hard work and an great product!

David R. Queen Creek, Ariz.

Fantasy Index

Customer Service

Factoid

Michael Thomas

Today's Trivia

Mailbag

Member updates

Follow

Why Choose Fantasy Index?

Quick hits

Your Stuff

In-Depth

Resources

All Products

Help & Support

Fantasy Index

Customer Service

Customer Service