Report: Michael Thomas Expected to Play for Saints vs. Bucs After Ankle Injury

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is expected to take the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night after sitting out since suffering an ankle injury in Week 1.

A second-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2016, the two-time All-Pro is coming off a 2019 season that saw him set an NFL record for receptions (149) while leading the league in yards (1,725) and yards per game (107.8). He also tied his career best with nine touchdowns on 185 targets, appearing in all 16 games for the Saints for the second consecutive season.

The Ohio State product has barely seen the field in an attempt to post a successful follow-up campaign in 2020. In the team's season-opening defeat of the Buccaneers, he put up three receptions on five targets for 17 yards before exiting with a high ankle sprain.

Ahead of his scheduled return in Week 5, he was fined by the Saints after a fight with a teammate and sat out because of "a team disciplinary issue," and then he missed Weeks 7 and 8 with a hamstring injury.

The Saints now expect both Thomas and quarterback Drew Brees to play against their division rivals as New Orleans looks to keep pace with the NFC South-leading Bucs.