Analyze Rashid Shaheed's matchup for week 11
Fresh off a trade to the league’s No. 4 passing attack, the explosive deep-threat draws a Rams defense that has already let three WRs top 100 yards; the integration risk is real, but the ceiling is sky-high.
Los Angeles enters 14th against the pass (208 yds/gm) and has allowed eight different wide receivers to score, yet no single wideout has multi-TD games—evidence they can be picked apart by a balanced aerial attack. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba commanding top coverage, Shaheed should see plenty of the Rams’ 38-year-old slot corner Cobie Durant and backup safeties on vertical routes. Seattle’s Klint Kubiak–led offense leads the NFL in explosive-play rate and deep-ball completion percentage, a perfect match for Shaheed’s 9th-ranked deep-target total.
After a 114-yard, 1-TD eruption in Week 5, Shaheed faded to 143 yards and zero scores over his final three Saints outings; volume dipped as New Orleans’ passing game cratered.
Bottom line: Shaheed’s role might be limited to 4–5 looks, yet his per-target efficiency and Darnold’s aggressiveness turn those into legitimate difference-making plays. The Rams allow a 63% completion rate on passes 15+ yards downfield, and Shaheed’s average depth of target (14.8 yds) aligns perfectly. Expect 4 catches for 68 yards as the median, with a 30–40% shot at a touchdown that would push him into WR2 territory for the week.