In The Blitz, RotoViz writers react to the latest news and help you place it within the context of our 2020 research and recommendations.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had some encouraging words for his young wide receiver in a recent statement,
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith was predicted as a breakout player for the 2020 NFL season. Not by fantasy analysts, but by his own quarterback, Drew Brees, who said, “Tre’Quan Smith is a guy who I think is ready to really blossom and just explode in this offense.” The 24-year-old is entering his third season in the league and has had a knack for finding the end zone- 10 touchdowns in two years- despite only being targeted 69 times in 2018 and 2019 combined. In reality, Smith is fifth in the pecking order at best, but perhaps he can snatch some of the targets left over by the departed Ted Ginn Jr.
Those are strong words for a wide receiver with a mere 46 receptions to his name through two seasons. Let’s see if there is any validity to Brees’ statement.
Looking Back
Smith feels a bit like a forgotten player, so here’s a quick recap. He produced well through two years in college — breaking out with a Dominator Rating north of 30% as a freshman — and then erupted during his third and final season. That production profile vaulted him into Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft, where he went to the Saints in the third round.
