Tyler Shough Fantasy Overview

Beating Expectations

Shough totaled 1,997 yards, 9 TDs, and 4 INTs across nine starts. He added 174 rushing yards and 3 scores.

The rookie posted four top-12 fantasy finishes and three more between QB13 and QB17. He finished QB12 in fantasy points per game, ahead of his QB16 finish in expected fantasy points.

Shough Enters in Relief, Proves Aggressive

Spencer Rattler entered the year as New Orleans’ starter, but the Saints turned to Shough after eight games.

The Saints didn’t hide him. They ranked eighth in overall pass rate with Shough (61.3%) and fifth in neutral-situation pass rate (62.4%).

The 26-year-old attacked downfield, posting the ninth-highest deep throw rate (12.5%) among 34 qualifiers. New Orleans was much less aggressive in the red zone, ranking 18th in red-zone pass rate and 28th in red-zone pass rate over expected. Any improvement in those categories will likely help his TD rate in 2026. (Last year’s 3.1% tied for 31st among qualifiers, with Rattler.)

Shough wasn’t a pure pocket passer, either. He ranked fourth among QBs in designed rushing yards during his starting sample and added 113 yards with 2 scores on scrambles.

Promising Efficiency Marks

Shough delivered decent efficiency, especially for a Round 2 rookie.

Among 42 QBs with 150+ attempts, he ranked:

• 12th in adjusted completion rate
• 13th in yards per attempt
• 19th in completion rate over expected

Shough also ranked sixth in catchable throw rate at 77.6%.

Kellen Moore Boosts the Offense

Shough excelled alongside new Saints HC Kellen Moore, who implemented a fantasy-friendly system. The Saints ranked 11th in total plays, jumping up to first in pace and situation-neutral pace.

Overall, the Saints finished sixth in pass attempts, 13th in passing yards, and 26th in passing TDs.

Shough’s solid season came despite little receiving depth behind Chris Olave, who shook off concussion concerns for a 100-1,163-9 line. Rashid Shaheed left in a midseason trade to Seattle, and Alvin Kamara played only 11 games while setting a career low with 33 catches.

That pushed Juwan Johnson into the No. 2 target role. He held up fine for a TE, posting 11.5 yards per catch, a 77% catch rate, and 1.69 yards per route run. But a better offense would cast him as a third option.

The O-line proved below average, finishing 19th in Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade and 29th in ESPN pass-block win rate.

Shaking Off Durability Concerns

Shough avoided injury trouble last season after a rough run in college. A broken collarbone ended his 2021 campaign nine games early. Another fracture of the same bone in September 2022 cost him six more games.

A fractured left fibula wiped out most of his 2023 season.

Saints Add Fresh Talent

Shough’s supporting cast looks better with Round 1 WR Jordyn Tyson joining Olave.

Tyson brings ideal size at 6’2, 203 pounds, with an early college breakout and displayed separation ability. His injury history adds risk, though, after hamstring, shoulder, and knee issues cost him 34% of his games over the past four seasons.

The Saints added two more WRs in the draft: North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance and LSU’s Barion Brown. Lance looks more developmental as a Round 4 pick from a small school, while sixth-rounder Brown likely opens on special teams.

The Saints’ veteran depth still looks shaky. Devaughn Vele is the likely WR3 after managing just 3 catches, 22.5 yards, and 0.15 TDs per game last season, and the alternatives are unproven players like Mason Tipton, Kevin Austin Jr., and Ja’Lynn Polk.

The TE room should give Shough more support with Johnson back alongside Noah Fant and rookie Oscar Delp. Fant shared work with Mike Gesicki last year but proved efficient, setting a career high in catch rate and posting his best yards per route run since 2021. Delp didn’t produce much at Georgia, but a 9.82 Relative Athletic Score and early Round 3 capital make him worth monitoring.

The backfield also looks stronger after the Saints added Travis Etienne Jr. He supplied 9.3 yards after catch per reception last year, sixth among 27 qualifying RBs, and ranked second at the position with 6 receiving TDs. Alvin Kamara remains on the roster as of late May, but his role is unclear entering his age-31 season after an MCL injury limited him to a career-low 11 games and 5.6 yards per catch.

The Saints return four of five starters up front, while David Edwards steps in at LG. His four-year deal placed him 10th among guards in guaranteed money. The investment makes sense after Edwards finished 12th among 96 qualifiers in PFF pass-blocking grade last year.

Paths to Ceiling

Shough wasn’t last year’s Week 1 starter. Now he enters Year 2 in Kellen Moore’s offense as the clear QB1, with a more talented supporting cast after the additions of Tyson and Etienne. The upgraded offensive environment gives Shough a better shot at becoming a streamer you can count on.

Risk Factors

Shough showed some rushing ability last year, but he doesn’t offer a high-end ceiling in that area. That places more pressure on his passing production and the health of Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson, both of whom carry injury notable injury histories.

Shough’s 2025 helped ease some durability concern on his end after injuries limited him to just one starting season across seven college years.