While most of the free agency frenzy had ended long ago, there remain several players that have yet to sign. One of those familiar veterans, Jarvis Landry, decided on his next landing spot after he was handed his release from the Cleveland Browns. Landry has signed with the New Orleans Saints. What does the signing mean for Landry’s fantasy football outlook, as well as that of new teammates Jameis Winston, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara? Andrew Erickson provides his take.
Jarvis Landry’s 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
Jarvis Landry signed with the New Orleans Saints this offseason, providing much-added depth to the team’s wide receiver room.
The 29-year-old’s best season with the Browns came back in 2019 when he averaged 12.2 fantasy points per game in half-point scoring as the WR13. The former LSU star’s production fell off in the last two seasons amid quarterback Baker Mayfield’s struggles.
However, Landry displayed a higher fantasy ceiling in games that Odell Beckham Jr. missed from 2020-2021 averaging 11.2 points per game in 2020 (nine games) and 9.5 points per game in 2021 (ten games).
So although his WR56 and 8.9 fantasy points per game in 2021 suggest Landry may be on the decline, he was more a victim of bad circumstances. His 25% target rate per route run ranked top-12 last season – tying him with the likes of D.J. Moore, D.K. Metcalf, Brandin Cooks, and Stefon Diggs.
Fantasy Football Fallout: Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, Jameis Winston
He’ll compete for his fair share of targets in an offense alongside what now appears like a sneaky good pass-catching corps between veteran Michael Thomas, first-round rookie Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara.
There’s a clear path for steady fantasy WR2 production with Landry if Thomas doesn’t overcome the remaining hurdles stemming from his ankle rehab.
Even if Thomas is healthy, Landry’s addition doesn’t help him from a fantasy perspective. The former Browns wide receiver has shown the ability to command targets at a high level, which will likely eat into Thomas’ high projected target share.
The acquisition is a benefit for quarterback Jameis Winston, who is starting to emerge from this offseason as an intriguing late-round quarterback fantasy option. Winston played with almost zero weapons a season ago and still managed to average 17.5 fantasy points per game – good for QB14 on the year. The Saints quarterback also finished the season with the league’s sixth-highest passer rating (102.8) and the lowest turnover-worthy play rate (3%) of his career.
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