Saints News
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele is expected to be the team’s WR3 in 2026. Vele finished his first season with New Orleans with just 293 yards and two touchdowns on 25 catches, a modest overall line for a receiver who joined the team in a trade just before the 2025 opener. That late arrival made it difficult for him to settle into the offense, something head coach Kellen Moore has since acknowledged as a missed opportunity for New Orleans.
“That was something we had to navigate as the season went on, him getting into the fold, and probably something that I took reflection on, trying to get him in that situation sooner last year,” Moore said this offseason.
Vele picked up real steam before his season was cut short. Over a four-game stretch from Weeks 12 through 15, he averaged roughly five receptions and 60 yards per game, production that would have paced to well over 1,000 yards across a full 17-game season. A shoulder injury in Week 15 ultimately landed him on injured reserve for the final three games, but the stretch of play beforehand left the coaching staff optimistic about his trajectory heading into year two in the building.
That optimism has carried into the offseason. Moore has spoken highly of Vele throughout OTAs, calling him healthy and saying he has “a really defined role” in the offense entering 2026. The additions of rookies Jordyn Tyson, the No. 8 overall pick who’s expected to start opposite Chris Olave immediately, along with Bryce Lance and Barion Brown, have added meaningful competition to New Orleans’ receiver room and introduce real risk to Vele’s target share.
Still, his path to relevance remains intact given the injury histories surrounding both Tyson, as a rookie adjusting to the league, and Olave, who has dealt with recurring concussion issues throughout his career. If either were to miss time, Vele’s size at 6-foot-5 and his familiarity with Moore’s offense could make him a significant beneficiary in the passing game.
For fantasy purposes, Vele remains buried on most redraft boards given the crowded depth chart ahead of him. But given his late-season flash in 2025 and the swirling injury risk at the two receiver spots above him, he profiles as a sensible, low-cost handcuff to roster in deeper PPR leagues.
