Thomas had seven carries for 31 rushing yards and six catches on seven targets for 58 receiving yards Sunday against the Falcons. Mark Ingram finished with 13 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns, while Khiry Robinson had six carries for 28 yards and a touchdown, though Thomas was still heavily used in the passing game. It seems the Saints will continue to use a committee-approach, with Thomas getting most of his looks in the passing game, keeping him very relevant in most PPR leagues.

Thomas gained 13 yards on three carries and 66 yards on four receptions in Saturday's preseason game against the Colts. Thomas has mostly been active as a pass catcher this preseason, which meshes with the training camp reports. Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson will get most of the carries, but Thomas is the obvious choice to handle most of the work on passing downs, a role that could be quite lucrative now that Darren Sproles is in Philly.

Thomas caught three passes for 27 yards in Friday's preseason game against the Titans. Thomas, who is expected to work as part of a three-headed backfield with Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson, provided a preview of things to come Friday night. While always a major threat in the passing game, Thomas figures to be even more reception-minded than usual this season. Of course, that's saying a lot, given that he recorded 77 receptions and 147 carries last year. The Saints seemingly want Thomas to get fewer carries this year, but the veteran still figures to work as the third-down back in an offense that no longer has Darren Sproles.

Thomas (unspecified issue) returned to practice Monday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Thomas missed this past Friday's preseason game against the Rams and then sat out practice Sunday. Now back on the field, he would appear to have a solid shot to play this coming Friday against the Titans. At this stage, Thomas is listed as the third back on the Saints' unofficial posted depth chart behind Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson, but following the departure of Darren Sproles, his ability as a pass-catcher should keep Thomas of interest, notably in PPR formats, even if he does find himself in a committee situation.

Thomas (undisclosed injury) did not practice on Sunday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. There's no word yet on what's ailing Thomas, who missed Friday's preseason game, but so far there has been nothing to suggest that he is dealing with a long-term issue.

Thomas was held out of Friday's preseason opener against the Rams, with no explanation given, New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson shined, which isn't particularly concerning for Thomas, who figures to work as the reception-minded part of a committee. What would actually be concerning is if Thomas were held out due to an injury, though he's only missed one game over the last three seasons.

The Saints released an unofficial depth chart in advance of the team's first preseason game on Friday, and Thomas was surprisingly listed as the third running back, behind Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson. There's little reason to panic as Thomas, who led all NFL running backs in receptions last year, is a valuable veteran on a Saints squad that is on the preseason short list of Super Bowl contenders. In fact, with the departure of Darren Sproles this offseason, Thomas could see an even larger bulk of the receptions out of the backfield, even if he sees fewer carries to limit the toll on his body, ceding early-down opportunities to Ingram and Robinson. As such, Thomas makes for a reliable target in fantasy leagues, particularly those utilizing point-per-reception scoring.

Beat writer Mike Triplett expects Pierre Thomas to get "a lot of snaps in the packages where we used to see (Darren) Sproles."

Pierre Thomas' new three-year deal is worth $6.9 million. Thomas agreed to a slight pay cut for 2014, seeing his total compensation slip from $2.9 million to $2.4 million. It's fully guaranteed, however. Going on 30, there's no guarantee Thomas will remain in New Orleans beyond 2014, but the price will be right if he has another strong year.

Saints signed RB Pierre Thomas to a two-year extension through 2016. The Saints dangled Thomas in trade talks, but wound up using this extension to lower his cap number instead. Expect a reduced role in 2014 as Khiry Robinson and Mark Ingram ascend. Thomas, 29, finished 2013 with 147 carries for 549 yards (3.7 YPC) and two touchdowns, adding 77 receptions. He'll remain a low-ceiling, late-round flier in re-draft leagues. Robinson offers the most upside.