Donovan Peoples-Jones DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New Orleans Saints executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis announced earlier this week that the team signed free-agent wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and safety Terrell Burgess to undisclosed one-year deals and waived safety Millard Bradford and running back Jordan Mims in corresponding moves. Both Peoples-Jones and Burgess took part in the team's rookie minicamp last weekend on a tryout basis. Peoples-Jones, 26, was a sixth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2020 out of Michigan. He was on the Detroit Lions' practice squad last year but last played in an NFL game in 2023, when he caught 13 of 25 targets for 155 yards and no touchdowns in 15 games (six starts) with the Browns and Lions. DPJ will face an uphill battle for a starting role in New Orleans as receiver depth behind Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks and Bub Means in 2025.

The New Orleans Saints are hosting free-agent wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones for a tryout during minicamp, according to NOF's John Hendrix. Peoples-Jones totaled just 155 yards through 15 games in 2023, and he spent all of last season on the Detroit Lions' practice squad. However, we've seen glimpses of upside from the Michigan product before. He delivered a career year with the Cleveland Browns in 2022, catching 61 of 96 targets for 839 yards and three touchdowns. He has previously served as a big-play threat, making him an intriguing candidate to replace Marquez Valdes-Scantling in New Orleans. Valdes-Scantling, who landed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, caught numerous deep passes from Derek Carr last season, allowing the Saints to strike quickly with big chunk plays. Peoples-Jones can provide a similar spark, but even if he makes the team, he'll merely fill a depth role behind Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks.

The Detroit Lions signed wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones to their practice squad on Thursday after releasing him on Tuesday. In other moves, the team placed defensive lineman John Cominsky (knee) on Injured Reserve and released safety C.J. Moore from the practice squad. Peoples-Jones will remain in the Detroit organization as wideout depth to start the 2024 regular season. He began last year with the Browns before joining the Lions for eight games (one) start, where caught just five passes for 58 yards. The 25-year-old former sixth-round pick by the Browns in 2020 out of Michigan struggled last year after a career year in 2022 in Cleveland in which he had a 61-839-3 line in 17 games (14 starts). DPJ should eventually see time in Detroit again in 2024 if any of the receivers on the 53-man roster go down with an injury, but he's currently off the fantasy radar.