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2025 New Orleans Saints Fantasy Preview

Alvin Kamara New Orleans Saints

2025 New Orleans Saints Fantasy Preview The Saints fell to 5-12 last season, finishing last in the division for the first time since 2008. Perpetually in cap trouble and with major questions at quarterback, Kellen Moore’s first stint as an NFL head coach will have major challenges. Without much cap space, the club extended Chase Young, added S Justin Reid, and brought back WR Brandin Cooks. The Saints reinforced both sides of the ball via the draft, but enter the 2025 season with one of the oldest rosters in the league. The biggest obstacle for the Saints is at the most important position. Derek Carr’s retirement made the selection of second-round QB Tyler Shough all the more important. Shough’s 65.9 percent completion under pressure rate at Louisville showed promise, and we expect him to beat out Spencer Rattler for the starting gig. New Orleans upgraded their pass-catching group, but the Shough/Rattler pairing is unproven. Jake Haener (QB3) adds depth. Alvin Kamara, a five-time Pro Bowler, leads with 1,151 rushing yards (4.6 YPC) and 466 receiving yards. His 5.3 yards after contact and 52 forced missed tackles (top-10) anchor a run game ranked 14th (114.9 YPG). Kamara’s 70+ receptions and 1,800 all-purpose yards are key in Moore’s screen-heavy attack, and he remains a solid RB2. Kendre Miller again battled injuries and could be pushed for No. 2 duties by sixth-round Kansas rookie Devin Neal. WR Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Brandin Cooks form a compact but skilled trio. Olave’s 2.8 yards per route run and 13.9 yards per catch stood out, but Olave missed half the season with another concussion. Shaheed was having a breakout campaign before he tore his meniscus. Cooks, a veteran returnee, is a big upgrade over New Orleans’ other ancillary wideouts. When healthy, the receiving corps will be better, but dependent on questionable QB play. Juwan Johnson, extended for three years, leads with 378 yards and three TDs. His 1.5 yards per route run and 11.1 yards per catch thrive in 12-personnel (22% usage). He set career-best marks in targets (66), catches (50), and yards (548), putting him firmly in the TE2 conversation. Taysom Hill is coming off an ACL injury, which endangers his valuable gadget role. If Hill is healthy, he can be a real wild card in an offense that lacks a proven signal-caller. Fantasy Grade: C+ QB Shough, Tyler, NO [QB1]  The Saints wisely used the 40th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to reinforce their quarterback position. Derek Carr’s surprising retirement sets the stage for Tyler Shough to win the starting job this summer over Spencer Rattler. Shough (6-5, 219) has an excellent arm and is adept at progressing through progressions. Shough passed for 3,195 and 23 scores last year at Louisville after three seasons at Texas Tech. But Shough will be 26 and has struggled against the blitz. The rookie growing pains could be significant on a rebuilding New Orleans roster. ADVICE: The favorite to win the Saints’ starting gig, but Shough is barely on the Superflex radar. QB Rattler, Spencer, NO [QB2]  There’s a decent chance that Rattler will open the season as the Saints’ starter. However, he didn’t show the ability to retain that job in an uninspiring rookie season. New Orleans looks like a bottom-5 team in the NFL, so expect the Saints to take a hot hand/revolving door approach to many positions, including QB. Rattler is little more than a Dynasty Superflex stash with a low ceiling and floor. RB Kamara, Alvin, NO [RB1]  Alvin Kamara delivered another strong fantasy season in 2024, finishing as the RB8 in PPR formats despite missing two games due to a groin injury. He amassed 950 rushing yards, 543 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns over 14 games, averaging 19.0 fantasy points per game—5th among running backs. Kamara led all backs in targets per game (6.6) and remained a top-tier receiving threat. With rookie quarterback Tyler Shough expected to lean on short passes, Kamara should continue to be a PPR machine. The Saints’ backfield additions aren’t likely to impact his workload significantly. ADVICE: Kamara finished as the RB8 last season and remains a reliable PPR option heading into 2025. RB Neal, Devin, NO [RB2]  ADVICE: Neal topped 1,000 rushing yards for three straight seasons at Kansas. He has good burst and also excels as a pass-catcher. The sixth-rounder has a legit shot at unseating Kendre Miller for RB2 duties behind Alvin Kamara. RB Miller, Kendre, NO [RB3]  ADVICE: A promising resumé has been torpedoed by injuries. Added competition from Devin Neal further complicates Miller’s future as Alvin Kamara’s heir apparent. WR Olave, Chris, NO [WR1]  Chris Olave is a risky WR3 for 2025 fantasy football due to health and quarterback concerns. In 2024, Olave played eight games, recording 32 receptions, 400 yards, and one touchdown, averaging 5.8 PPR points per game. His 2.15 yards per route run remained efficient, but two concussions sidelined him for the season’s latter half. With Derek Carr’s retirement and unproven quarterbacks (Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler), Olave’s outlook is murky. Despite a 25-percent target share, his injury history and quarterback uncertainty cap his upside. ADVICE: The Saints will see favorable game scripts for the passing attack, but Olave’s fantasy potential is dependent on completely unproven QBs, making him a risk/reward WR3. WR Shaheed, Rashid, NO [WR2]  Shaheed was off to a blistering start, averaging 12.6 fantasy points per game before a meniscus injury ended his season in Week 6. Shaheed’s insane 50.3 percent air yards share led the NFL, and he was top-5 in ADOT (17.6) and yards per catch (17.5). Coming off a major knee injury is the first concern for Shaheed. Secondly, there is the Saints’ unsettled quarterback job, which will be led by unproven Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler. Shaheed did enough last season to be the Saints’ No. 2 wide receiver, but he comes with noteworthy risk in his fourth pro season. ADVICE: Premier deep threat, but knee recovery and QB woes make

Week 14 NFL Player Props

Week 14 NFL Player Props For the fifth consecutive week, we had a .500 record (5-5). We lost .75 Units and are now at +3.25 Units as we enter the home stretch of the regular season. Despite still being in

Week 14 NFL Player Props

For the fifth consecutive week, we had a .500 record (5-5). We lost .75 Units and are now at +3.25 Units as we enter the home stretch of the regular season. Despite still being in the green, it’s time for us to catch fire like the first few weeks of the campaign with Week 14 NFL Player Props.

Remember to always odds shop at your different sportsbooks to find the best value for these props. With that in mind, let’s get down to business and find the best Week 14 NFL Player Props!

Geno Smith UNDER 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-115)

I’m taking the under on Geno Smith’s passing touchdowns this week. Why? Because the numbers don’t lie, and they’re stacking up against the Seahawks quarterback.

First, let’s talk about Geno. Sure, he’s racking up the passing yards—he’s among the NFL’s best in that department. But when it comes to turning those yards into touchdowns, it’s been a struggle. In 12 games this season, Geno has thrown just 13 passing touchdowns, with only five of those coming on the road. He’s managed multiple touchdown games just twice this year, and last season wasn’t much different—20 touchdowns in 15 games. So, this isn’t a fluke; it’s a pattern.

Now, let’s flip the script and talk about Arizona’s defense, because wow, they’ve been bringing the heat. Over the past six games, the Cardinals have allowed only four total passing touchdowns. Even more impressive? At home, they’ve pitched a defensive shutout in three straight games—no passing touchdowns, no rushing touchdowns, nothing. In fact, across six home games this year, they’ve given up just three passing touchdowns total.

Put it all together, and the data points to one conclusion: this under is a smart play. Sure, betting unders can be nerve-wracking, but with Geno’s trends and Arizona’s defensive dominance, I feel good about this one.

Sam Darnold…

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Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 16

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 16 Following last week’s blowout between two sub-.500 teams, Week 16 offers a pairing of NFC playoff contenders. The Rams and Saints enter this game at 7-7 and in the thick of the playoff picture.

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 16

Following last week’s blowout between two sub-.500 teams, Week 16 offers a pairing of NFC playoff contenders. The Rams and Saints enter this game at 7-7 and in the thick of the playoff picture. FullTime Fantasy’s Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 16 breaks down what is a must-win game for both teams.

The visiting Saints have won two straight and are tied for the NFC South lead. At +42, New Orleans has the fourth-best points differential in the conference. However, they must contend with traveling on a short week to face an LA squad that has won three consecutive games at home.

Additionally, Los Angeles has averaged 33 points per game in their last four. This Rams offense is now healthy and will pose problems for a New Orleans defense that has struggled when facing teams that are capable of moving the ball up and down the field.

The game opened with the Rams being favored by 4.5 points with a total of 44.5.

Matchup 

TEAM OFFENSE PASS RUSH YDS/PLAY POINTS
New Orleans Saints 14 14 19 18 12
Los Angeles Rams 8 11 11 7 9

 

On paper, these two teams are more evenly matched than it seems. However, the Saints have an edge defensively. At least they did until recently. The Saints pass rush has slowed and the team has dipped to 24th in run defense.

Meanwhile, the Rams have had issues defending the run. However, the return of Kryen Williams has had a significant impact on the team’s offensive resurgence. Also, in the last five games, Matthew Stafford is the overall fantasy QB5.

For this game, the Saints are looking at their own significant addition with ace No. 1 wideout Chris Olave returning after a 1-game absence.

This is the first away game for New Orleans since dropping a 24-15 game to the Falcons in Week 12. Meanwhile, the Rams have been thriving at home and have not lost to the Saints as hosts since 2009.

How will Thursday’s Saints vs. Rams game go?

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Week 13 DFS: Running Back Report

Jets Rookie RB Breece Hall

Week 13 DFS: Running Back Report The winning running back ticket landed on Kyren Williams (38.40 fantasy points) in Week 13. Christian McCaffrey (30.90) finished with the runner-up prize, followed by Bijan Robinson (27.30) and Isiah Pacheco (25.90). Seven other

 

Week 13 DFS: Running Back Report

The winning running back ticket landed on Kyren Williams (38.40 fantasy points) in Week 13. Christian McCaffrey (30.90) finished with the runner-up prize, followed by Bijan Robinson (27.30) and Isiah Pacheco (25.90). Seven other running backs scored between 20.00 and 22.50 fantasy points. Here are the top five running backs by scoring average after 12 weeks:

  • Christian McCaffrey (24.98)
  • Raheem Mostert (18.48)
  • Travis Etienne (17.44)
  • Rachaad White (14.94)
  • Josh Jacobs (14.61)

Also, check out FullTime Fantasy‘s Week 13 DFS QB Report and TE Report.

Top Tier Options

Christian McCaffrey, SF (DK – $9,000/FD – $9,800)

Even with his second-best fantasy game (30.90) in Week 12, McCaffrey didn’t score high enough to fill his current salary bucket. He has a floor of 20.00 fantasy points over the past five weeks, averaging 21.6 touches. The 49ers have had him on the field for 76% of their plays or more over his last five starts. His best showing (20/106/3 with seven catches for 71 yards and one touchdown) of the year came in Week 4. Last year, McCaffrey gained 106 combined yards with one touchdown and four catches against the Eagles.

Philadelphia has the best defense in the NFL vs. running backs (15.63 FPPG). They allow 4.1 yards per rush, with backs scoring only two touchdowns. Kansas City (30/168) and Buffalo (40/173/2) ran the ball well against them over the past two weeks, but 119 yards (34.9%) came from the quarterback position. Running backs have 58 catches for 359 yards on 75 targets.

McCaffrey doesn’t have the best matchup. The 49ers will ride him early and often in this game, with an uptick of value in the passing game should be expected. He needs multiple touchdowns and at least one big play to be in the mix in Week 13. 

Alvin Kamara, NO (DK – $8,200/FD – $8,300)

The fun and excitement of Kamara left the building over the last three weeks. His regression in stats over this span came from…

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Week 9 DFS: Running Back Report

Alvin Kamara New Orleans Saints

Week 9 DFS: Running Back Report Jahmyr Gibbs (29.90 fantasy points) was the highest-scoring running back in Week 8 in PPR formats, coming on the heels of another top-showing (11/68/1 with nine catches for 58 yards). Christian McCaffrey (29.80) and

Week 9 DFS: Running Back Report

Jahmyr Gibbs (29.90 fantasy points) was the highest-scoring running back in Week 8 in PPR formats, coming on the heels of another top-showing (11/68/1 with nine catches for 58 yards). Christian McCaffrey (29.80) and Gus Edwards (29.40) filled out the running back trifecta. Five other running backs scored more than 20.00 fantasy points. Alvin Kamara (24.57) and Travis Etienne (23.97) averaged the most fantasy points per game in PPR formats over the past three weeks. Here are the top five running backs by scoring average over the first eight weeks:

  • Christian McCaffrey (25.30)
  • Travis Etienne (20.49)
  • Raheem Mostert (19.64)
  • Kenneth Walker (16.09)
  • Zack Moss (15.65)

Also, check out FullTime Fantasy‘s Week 9 DFS QB Report and TE Report.

Top-Tier Options

Alvin Kamara, NO (DK – $8,100/FD – $9,200)

The excellent opportunity continued in Week 8 for Kamara. He gained 110 combined yards with two touchdowns and four catches on 21 touches against the Colts. The Saints gave him the ball 125 times over his first five starts, leading to 110 yards and 7.8 catches per game. Taysom Hill sniped three rushing touchdowns over the past two weeks while also stealing 14 rushes for 81 yards.

Chicago ranks 27th in running back defense (25.54 FPPG), with most of their struggles coming over the first three games (34.50, 23.20, and 46.30 fantasy points). The Bears continue to play well vs. the run (193/630/4 – 3.3 yards per carry), but backs have 48 catches for 497 yards and five touchdowns on 61 targets. 

Kamara holds his floor in most weeks due to his value in the passing game. His rising salary requires more than 32.00 fantasy points at DraftKings, but he can’t reach that level without at least one long play and a touchdown. New Orleans will get Jamaal Williams involved, and Hill has been stealing away his explosiveness. Playing well, and the Saints’ offense should score in this game.

Saquon Barkley, NYG (DK – $7,900/FD – $8,600)

The Giants’ offense has been dismal in seven of the eight games, leading them averaging only 11.9 points per game. Over the last three weeks, Barkley has been a big part of New York’s game plan (81/298 with 19 catches for 46 yards and one touchdown on 91 touches). Daniel Jones returns this week, along with LT Andrew Thomas, breathing life into all offensive players for the Giants. Barkley posted one playable game (27.20 fantasy points) in Week 2.

Las Vegas fell to 29th in running back defense (27.34 FPPG) after struggling over the past three weeks (31.80, 40.80, and 38.50 fantasy points). The Raiders allow 4.5 yards per rush, with backs scoring 11 touchdowns. Over the past two games, Chicago and Detroit rushed for 395 yards with three touchdowns. Running backs have 42 catches for 267 yards and one score on 56 targets.

With Daniel Jones back in the starting lineup, Barkley will see…

 

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Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7

Trevor Lawrence Jacksonville Jaguars

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7 Last week’s Thursday Night game was a disappointment. With just 27 points scored, the Chiefs/Broncos snooze fest set the template for UNDERS going 11-3 in Week 7. Consequently, Week 7 opens with an intra-conference

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7

Last week’s Thursday Night game was a disappointment. With just 27 points scored, the Chiefs/Broncos snooze fest set the template for UNDERS going 11-3 in Week 7. Consequently, Week 7 opens with an intra-conference battle that opened at a lowly 42.5 and dropped. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7 breaks down the Saints/Jaguars game from a fantasy, DFS, and sports betting lens.

Doug Pederson’s Jaguars have won three straight after an embarrassing home loss to the Houston Texans. That included a pair of victories in London. Jacksonville is 2-0 on the road. However, few teams have as strong of a home-field advantage as the New Orleans Saints.

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Speaking of the Saints, Dennis Allen’s squad is 3-3 after they too were defeated by Houston. However, that loss came on the road and was much more competitive. New Orleans has scored 20 or fewer points in five of their six games, and looking at the depressed total, it could be another low-scoring Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7 game to handicap.

Subsequently, the Saints are mere 1-point favorites, with an implied game score of 21-19.

Matchup 

TEAM OFFENSE PASS RUSH YDS/PLAY POINTS
Jacksonville Jaguars 12 12 15 20 10
New Orleans Saints 17 15 23 26 24

Unsurprisingly, Pederson’s Jaguars squad has been better offensively. Jacksonville is averaging 23.7 points per game, which is just behind the Chiefs. The Jags also hold an edge at every skill position, making them the more fantasy-friendly roster.

However, Jacksonville’s offensive line has struggled. The Jaguars have allowed Trevor Lawrence to be sacked 16 times and face too many pressures. Lawrence has only 2.46 seconds to throw the ball, which is the second-lowest time in football. That has resulted in him ranking 26th with a -1.2 completion rate over expectation.

Meanwhile, the Saints rank 6th in total defense. Derek Carr has been serviceable under center. However, Carr has thrown only five touchdown passes and the Saints rank 24th in scoring. Carr also has the fewest rushing yards among any NFL quarterback that has started multiple games.

Scoring will be at a premium.

Jacksonville Offense 

As mentioned above, some of Trevor Lawrence‘s…

How will Thursday’s Jaguars vs. Saints game go?

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Week 5 NFL Player Props

Matt Stafford

Week 5 NFL Player Props Week 4 was an interesting one from a prop betting perspective. After starting the season 10-4, last week was the first time this season that we didn’t hit over 50% of our prop bets. Fortunately,

Week 5 NFL Player Props

 

Week 4 was an interesting one from a prop betting perspective. After starting the season 10-4, last week was the first time this season that we didn’t hit over 50% of our prop bets. Fortunately, since we tripled up on the Justin Fields over, our 3-4 Week 4 record doesn’t tell the full story; We actually profited cash for a third consecutive week. Just about a quarter of the way through the regular season, we are now 13-8 (+6.9 units). 

After a surprising first few weeks to the season where studs weren’t performing and there were some unfamiliar names leading certain position groups, things are finally beginning to shake out as one would expect. Justin Herbert has been the top quarterback, Christian McCaffrey has been the top running back, Justin Jefferson has been the top wideout, and T.J. Hockenson has been the top tight end (Travis Kelce missed the season opener but is averaging more points per game than Hock). The cream always rises to the top.

Fantasy football owners definitely have an edge when it comes to prop betting because we are so in tune with individual player performances. As always, remember to odds shop at your different sportsbooks to find the best values for the prop bets listed below. Now, let’s get down to business and find the best Week 5 NFL Player Props and continue our trend of profitable NFL weekends.

 

Josh Allen OVER 258.5 Passing Yards (-115)

After a disappointing season-opening performance against the New York Jets in which Allen turned the ball over four times in an upset loss, Buffalo’s signal-caller has turned it around and has been the QB1 over the last three weeks. Over that span, Allen has racked up 812 passing yards (270.7 per game) while going 72-for-94 (76.6% completion percentage) and throwing eight touchdowns and one interception.

He has risen to the top of the MVP race in large part due to his dominant performance in the Bills’ Week 4 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins in which he tallied 320 passing yards and four touchdowns, while also running one into the end zone. Allen has eclipsed this line in two of his previous three outings and faces a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that ranks 22nd in pass defense.

Also, the Bills are averaging 6.1 yards per play this season, which bodes well for Allen in this London-based contest. Allen doesn’t have a particularly good history against the Jaguars. But one of his previous two games came against them back in 2018 when they had an elite defense. Back in 2021, he surpassed this line against Jacksonville. Look for Allen to continue his MVP campaign…

WHAT OTHER PLAYER PROPS LOOK LIKE PROMISING BETS THIS WEEK?…

 

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Fantasy Football: Deal or No Deal Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara

Fantasy Football: Deal or No Deal Alvin Kamara The Saints’ offense has had many changes in the offseason. It started with a $150 million deal for four years in March for Derek Carr. The ball finally dropped on Alvin Kamara’s suspension (three games). That created a potential buying opportunity for him in early August as the fantasy market tries to evaluate his “new value” with Jamaal Williams and Kareen Hunt added to the backfield. Now it’s time for Fantasy Football: Deal or No Deal Alvin Kamara. First, New Orleans has the foundation of being much better at passing the ball if Michael Thomas can deliver 80% of his previous self and Chris Olave delivers on his expectations. Over the two last seasons, the Saints threw the ball only 504 and 512 times due to Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, Taysom Hill, and Andy Dalton starting at quarterback in the post-Drew Brees era. In addition, they played without their star wideout (Thomas) over this span. In my first run of the projections in June, I had Kamara suspended for 10 games. Once he settled his court case, I lowered his missed time to six games. The NFL decided on three weeks for his off-the-field incident. That meant Kamara was a deal in most early drafts if he stays healthy. Looking back at the Saints’ offensive profile, the running back position in New Orleans’ offense has been active for several years, especially with Brees behind center. Here’s a look at their running back production over the past three seasons: The Saints’ defense ranked in the top 10 in points and yards allowed from 2020 to 2022, leading to a more ball-controlled offense and bottom-tier ranking in pass attempts. Despite the regression, their backs still had 113, 88, and 85 catches over this span, averaging 7.46 targets per game. They caught 30, 31, and 25 % of the team’s completions over the previous three seasons.  In the first run of the 2023 fantasy football projections, I didn’t see enough strength in the Saints’ other backs to support their previous value in catches. My starting point was 18% of the team’s completions (about 60 catches), well below their previous opportunity. This season, I have New Orleans throwing the ball 592 times with two active wideouts (Chris Olave and Michael Thomas). Despite the increase in pass attempts and a better overall offense, I only have the Saints’ backs catching 77 passes, which looks out of line (too low). Potentially Adding Kareem Hunt Here’s a look at the Saints’ backfield if they signed Kareem Hunt: Over the first three weeks, Williams and Hunt would see almost all of New Orleans’s running back action. Hunt assumes the Kamara slot in the offense. That points to about a third of the carries and the majority of snaps on passing downs. Williams should get the first crack at goal-line chances in the run game. Once Kamara returns, I expect him to see about 60% of the early down action and most of the chances on passing downs. Ideally, Kamara would average between three to four catches with about 15 rushing attempts. However, I feel I have him unprojected in catches, leaving more upside to his outlook. I view Kamara as a fifth-round back who is getting drafted late in the seventh round.  Since his suspension, he still ranks 30th at running back in PPR formats. Kamara should be a mid-tier RB2, and I have no problem if someone drafts at the 18th running back. Over his 88 career games, he averaged 4.9 catches for 42.6 yards and 0.25 touchdowns or 10.66 fantasy points in PPR formats. Based on this alone, Kamara would have ranked 22nd in fantasy scoring in 2022.  As far as Hunt, he should be a natural handcuff to Kamara while having a better career body of work than Jamaal Williams. I have enough confidence in Hunt to use him as a cheat RB2 on a WR-strong team over the first three weeks.  The bottom line with the Saints’ offense is that they will be much better than in 2022 if their key offensive personnel stay healthy. The running back position should push close to 100 catches. Also, I need to address this shortfall in their projections next week. In 2016, Le’Veon Bell sat out the first three games but still helped fantasy teams win their league and overall championships.  Finally, in the high-stakes market, the sharp drafters tend to focus on pass-catching backs late. Kamara should be shining brightly in PPR formats, and he almost falls into the free category in early August.    Also, If you have time to prepare, make sure you mock in our Mock Draft World Championships. No better way to practice for the real thing. NEW THIS YEAR: FullTime Members get 5 Free On-Demand Mock Drafts in our contest! Head to MockDraftNow.com and enter your REDEMPTION CODE you received by email. How it Works: First, draft your team using our On-Demand Simulator. Secondly, if you like it, enter it into the best-ball contest. Just sit back and watch your team climb the leaderboard! Finally, the winner gets to choose from the fantastic prizes below. Everyone’s first team is free! CLICK HERE. Lastly, if you don’t know just how awesome and amazing the Panini Flawless Football briefcase is, make sure and watch the video starting at the 8-minute mark! Trading cards are back! Are you a Die-Hard Fantasy Football Player? CLICK HERE to Start Your Road to the 2023 Fantasy Football World Championships.

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook

chris olave

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook

 

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Carolina Panthers Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Derek Carr

In his eighth season with Las Vegas in 2021, Carr set career-highs in completions (428), pass attempts (626), and passing yards (4,804). On the downside, he finished below the league average in touchdowns (23) with a rise in interceptions (14). Carr passed for over 300 yards in seven of his 18 games (including the postseason), but he failed to throw more than two touchdowns in any matchup. Carr was the 12th highest-scoring quarterback (324.40) in four-point passing touchdown leagues despite his low-scoring ability. Before 2021 (40/108), he chipped in with some scores on the ground over the previous three seasons (24/47/1, 27/82/2, and 39/140/3).

Coming into last season, his completion rate (68.7) was a strength from 2018 to 2021. Unfortunately, the addition of Davante Adams (100/1,516/14) gave him a true WR1, but his completion rate (60.8) was the lowest since his rookie season (58.1) in 2014. In addition, Carr had a regression in yards per pass attempt (7.0 – 7.8 from 2019 to 2021). The Raiders ended up benching him over their final two matchups. He had repeated weakness in interceptions (14) and touchdowns (24). Carr passed for more than 300 yards in two games (303/2 and 307/2) while delivering three scores in only two contests. Nine of his interceptions came over his last five starts.

Fantasy Outlook: Based on the passing history of the Saints with Drew Brees behind center, Carr should throw the ball more than 600 times in 2023 while regaining his lost completion rate by throwing many passes to the running back position. WR Chris Olave (72/1,042/4) played well in his rookie season, and WR Rashid Shaheed (28/488/2) showed growth late in the year, but New Orleans still needs a second elite option in the passing game. A Michael Thomas sighting would help Carr’s passing upside. In late June, he ranked 18th at quarterback while on a path to pass for 4,300 yards and only a slight progression in touchdowns.

Other Options: Jameis Winston, Jake Haener, Taysom Hill

— Running Backs —

When reviewing the rushing data for the Saints in 2022, I need to pull out Taysom Hill’s production (96/575/7) to understand better their running back opportunity. When inputting the team stats last year, I treated Hill as a WR/TE instead of a quarterback, misrepresenting the team’s rushing profile.  New Orleans’ backs gained 1,926 combined yards with nine touchdowns and 85 catches (19.51 FPPG in PPR formats). They set three-year lows in catches (85), receiving yards (650), receiving touchdowns (2), and targets (107) while accounting for 25.2% of their receiving yards.

Alvin Kamara

The lack of quarterback play hurt Kamara in two areas in 2021. He finished with a career-low 3.7 yards per carry (5.0 over his first four years) while having a sharp decline in his value in the passing game (47/439/5 – over 80 catches each season from 2017 to 2020). Despite missing four games with a knee injury, Kamara set a career-high in rushing attempts (240). He averaged 22.1 touches, besting his previous top in 2018 (18.3 per game). Kamara gained 100 combined yards in eight of his 13 starts, leading to 18.05 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. His path projected over 17 matchups would have pushed him into the top five in running back scoring.

Last season, Kamara missed another two games with an early season rib issue. Over 15 starts, he gained 1,387 combined yards with a career-low four touchdowns and 57 catches. New Orleans gave him the ball 280 times (16.5 per game) while gaining only 4.0 yards per rush. Kamara rushed for more than 100 yards in two matchups (23/103 and 23/107). His role in the passing game was diminished over his final five contests (2/11, 2/13, 2/34, 1/7, and 1/3). He posted one impact showing (158 combined yards with two touchdowns and nine catches).

Fantasy Outlook: Kamara has a court date on July 31st regarding an off-the-field incident early in 2022. Based on his ranking in late June (32nd) and the addition of Jamaal Williams, a suspension appears looming if found guilty. I’ll defer on his outlook until his situation clears up in August. 

Jamaal Williams

The Lions used Williams 179 times over his 13 games (13.8 per week) in 2021. He set a career-high in rushing yards (601) while showing weakness in yards per carry (3.9) and yards per catch (6.0). Williams missed four games with thigh, hip, and Covid-19 issues. He posted his best output in Week 1 (110 combined yards with one touchdown and eight catches). Detroit gave him three targets or fewer in 11 of his final 12 matchups while scoring less than 10.00 fantasy points in PPR leagues in nine games.

Despite a minimal uptick in yards per rush (4.1), Williams had the best rushing opportunity (262/1,066) of his career, highlighted by 17 touchdowns. His role in the passing game (12/73) was a career-low. He scored two touchdowns or more in six matchups while gaining more than 100 yards in two games (19/108/2 and 22/144/1). The Lions had him on the field for only 40.6% of their plays.

Fantasy Outlook: Williams gives the Saints veteran experience in case…

 

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE SAINTS IN 2023?

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