Saints Updated Wide Receiver Depth Chart After Releasing Three WRs on Cut Day

The 53-man roster deadline has come and gone, which means the start of the 2022 NFL season is right around the corner. It also means that the New Orleans Saints' offseason revamping of the wide receiver position is complete as three pass-catchers were let loose on Tuesday during final cuts.

Kirk Merritt was the only notable cut after he logged some big catches in training camp and executed a 59-yard punt return in the preseason. Merritt and fellow WR cuts Dai'Jean Dixon and Rashid Shaheed are all practice squad candidates. Let's take a look at the Saints updated WR depth chart.

Saints Wide Receiver Depth Chart

1. Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas has to be the most intriguing name on this list. This is a player that led the NFL with 149 receptions and 1,725 receiving yards in 2020. A brutal ankle injury kept him off the field for the entire 2021 season, but he is back and despite a potential hamstring issue in training camp, he should be ready to go now or soon.

2. Chris Olave

The Saints wanted to upgrade their receiving core this offseason and drafting Chris Olave was a sure way to do just that. The Ohio State product logged 936 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns on 65 receptions as a college senior and has the hands to make an immediate impact in the NFL.

3. Jarvis Landry

New Orleans lacked veteran leadership at WR last season, so it added that piece to the puzzle by signing Jarvis Landry in free agency. The eight-year pro has five Pro Bowl nods to his name and averages 61.8 receiving yards per game in his career. Talk about a security blanket for quarterback Jameis Winston.

4. Marquez Callaway

Marquez Callaway proved to be a capable contributor last season as he tallied 698 yards and 6 touchdowns on 46 receptions (84 targets). His 15.2 yard per catch average ranked 10th among all NFL receivers. Callaway is a deep threat to keep an eye on whenever he's on the field.

5. Deonte Harty

Much like Callaway, Harty has established himself as a big play specialist in the NFL. His 15.8 yards per catch average ranked seventh among all NFL receivers and his speed makes him a threat to take any kick/punt return to the house. Having a weapon like that can be a major advantage.

6. Tre'Quan Smith

This is where the Saints' depth chart gets a bit tricky. Tre'Quan Smith went down hard on his shoulder in the final preseason game and could be forced to miss some time in the regular season. If that ends up being the case, look for someone like Merritt to get another opportunity right away.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.