Bub Means DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) said that he was cleared from his ankle injury in late January and is back to full speed as he prepares for his sophomore season in 2025. Means suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 8 and then had a setback that cost him the final nine games in the second half. The 24-year-old fifth-round pick (170th overall) caught nine of his 15 targets for 118 yards (13.1 yards per reception) and one touchdown in his seven games played (one start) in his first year in the NFL for the Saints. The Pittsburgh product emerged as an intriguing downfield threat for New Orleans in his rookie season and won't be hindered by his ankle this offseason as he prepares for what will hopefully be a bigger role in 2025. Means will most likely be a boom/bust receiver for fantasy purposes for a Saints team that still hasn't settled on a new head coach.

New Orleans Saints coach Darren Rizzi said wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) had a setback and probably won't return this season. Means filled in this season for a depleted wide receiver corps for the Saints and recorded nine catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. He will look to next season to recover and be back fully healthy. He never completely emerged as a fantasy-relevant option during his rookie year.

According to Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 15's match against the Washington Commanders. Means has been on the injured reserve since sustaining a high-ankle sprain during Week 8. Means opened the week as a limited participant but was then downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday and remained in that fashion on Friday. After not catching a pass over the first five weeks of the season, Means flashed some potential during Weeks 6 through 8 as he averaged an 8.9 PPR point per game and averaged just under 40.0 yards per game. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Marquez Valdes-Scantling to lead the wide receiver room, with Kevin Austin and Cedrick Wilson slotting behind him. Valdes-Scantling is worth a look in deeper formats, facing a Washington secondary that has allowed the 14th-most PPR points to opposing wideouts.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Means is currently in his 21-day practice window, which means he can practice with the team but would need to be activated from injured reserve before he can play in a game. Typically, teams are hesitant to activate players until they log multiple full practices in a row, but Means could potentially be an exception given how shorthanded the Saints are at wide receiver. If activated this week, Means would slot in as a starting receiver alongside Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Both pass-catchers lack fantasy appeal given significant uncertainty at the quarterback position.

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said that rookie wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) will not play in Week 14 against the New York Giants on Sunday. Rizzi said the Saints knew that Means would be limited in his first week back from Injured Reserve this week, so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that they didn't feel he was ready to return to action. The 23-year-old has been on IR since Nov. 2 due to a high-ankle sprain he suffered in the Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Means was limited in practice on Wednesday before sitting out on Thursday and Friday, so it's possible he might have even encountered a setback with his ankle. There's no guarantee Means will be back in Week 15 against the Washington Commanders, and when he does return, he could struggle to find consistent targets.