FLOWERY BRANCH — Wide receiver/return specialist Rashid Shaheed was the only Saints player selected for the Pro Bowl on Wednesday.
Shaheed, a former undrafted player from Weber State, ranks second in the NFC and third in the NFL in punt-return average (14.0).
“He’s fearless with getting vertical with the football,” Falcons special-teams coordinator Marquice Williams said. “He can get to the perimeter as a returner. Fearless when like catching the ball in traffic and if the ball is on the ground. He’s going to look to come alive.”
The Falcons will face Shaheed and the Saints at 1 p.m. Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Shaheed has returned 23 punts for 321 yards with a 76-yard touchdown, against Green Bay on Sept. 24. He also has returned 18 kickoffs for 384 yards.
“There is a reason why you see guys blocking hard for him,” Williams said. “The reason why you can see him getting opportunities with the ball in his hands, whether it’s on punt return or kick return. It’s starting to translate to him getting more opportunities on offense.”
Shaheed, a wide receiver by trade, has 43 catches for 654 yards and four touchdowns. He also has rushed seven times for 37 yards. All together he has 1,396 all-purpose yards, which ranks ninth in the league.
“He’s done a phenomenal job,” Williams said. “He’s athletic. He’s fast. He has great change of direction. We look forward to going against another dynamic returner this week in Rashid.”
Shaheed became the fourth Saint selected as a Pro Bowl returner. He joins Tyrone Hughes (1993), Michael Lewis (2002) and Deonte Harris (2019).
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