METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints leading receiver Michael Thomas, who was a late addition to the injury report Saturday with a hamstring injury, is expected to play Sunday against division rival Atlanta, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Thomas also is expected to wear an eye shield for the first time to help safeguard being poked in the eye, as he was against the Falcons two weeks ago, the source said.

The Falcons (9-5) won the first meeting between the teams Dec. 7 and can move ahead of the Saints (10-4) in the NFC South standings by winning the Christmas Eve clash.

New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina are all within a game of one another in the race for the division title.

Thomas has 94 catches for 1,085 yards and five touchdowns. He is just the second player, along with the New York Giants' Odell Beckham, to catch at least 90 passes in his first two NFL seasons.

Thomas, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl this week, has 186 career catches and needs nine more to have the most receptions by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history.

He has especially been a go-to guy for Drew Brees the past two weeks. Thomas had a season-high 10 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown when the Saints faced the Falcons two weeks ago in a 20-17 loss at Atlanta. He followed that with nine catches for 93 yards and a touchdown in last week's 31-19 victory over the New York Jets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.