Today, the Fantasy Football series continues at Inscriber Magazine, and we will be taking a look at the New Orleans Saints, and where they stand in the fantasy football world, individually, and as a whole. Here’re five things that you need to know before drafting the boys from the Big Easy in standard leagues.
The Man Under Center is Going to Win You Games
Drew Brees is perennially one of the top 5 fantasy quarterbacks drafted, and there’s no reason why that should change this year. In the 2015 campaign, he threw for over 4,800 yards in 15 games, with 32 TDs to just 11 INTs, at the age of 37. The man can clearly still play, even surrounded by what seems to be a lack of talent. Don’t be afraid to draft him (he seems to be going as the 5th-8th QB taken) and ensure that you have a solid guy under center to supplement your team’s points.
Given the state of the Saints defense, Brees will have to work hard to keep his team in the game, which will work in your favor.
Do They Even Have a Defense?
The New Orleans Saints defense was ranked as the second-worst in the entire league, last season. That should be reason enough for you to claim another as your D/ST. (Just don’t take the Giants, as they were the only ones ranked lower.) But if that isn’t reason enough, here’s some statistics:
They averaged almost 30 points allowed per game, at 29.8. They gave up an average of 413.4 yards per game to opposing offenses. They had just nine interceptions on the entire season and less than 750 tackles.
I don’t care what kind of league you are in. Do not, under any circumstance, draft the New Orleans defense. If they show massive improvement, pick them up on the waivers later on down the road, but stay far away from them on draft day.
They Only Have One WR So Take Him
There are very few people who will draft Brandin Cooks high, and I’m not one of them. Depending on the size of your league, you could conceivably take him as your WR2 and have a field day, in both PPR and standard leagues. Cooks caught 84 passes for over 1,100 yards, and nine touchdowns last year, on 129 targets last year.
Keep in mind; that was Cooks’ second year in the league, which means that he has room for improvement. With the second option in New Orleans being Benjamin Watson (now in Baltimore), if you’re going to grab a Saints WR, Cooks is the one to go for. He’ll likely go between rounds 2-5.
I Like Contradicting Myself, So Here’s A Sleeper
The Saints do only have one flat-out golden boy at wide receiver. However, there’s a fairly solid chance that Michael Thomas could have an immediate impact. He’s the second round pick, and given the fact that young guys have made an impact in this offense very quickly (Cooks, Snead, etc.’s), he’s a guy to keep an eye on while he’s on the wire.
By no means am I saying to draft this kid high, or even at all. There’s simply too many options at WR across the league. But keep an eye on him throughout the year. If he starts showing out, the smart move would be to pick him up.
Play Late, Draft Late
They’re running backs strewn throughout the league. However, a few good backs have question marks (Charles, Bell, etc., ). That alone will make owners look at Mark Ingram as an early option (think rounds 2-3). Ingram carried the ball 166 times last season, racking up 769 yards over 12 games, and punched in 6 touchdowns. Over 16 games, he would have had over 1,025 yar and eight touchdowns.
Not too shabby for a team that claims to be pass-first. If you draft later in the round, or if your scheme is to draft a wide receiver first, look to Ingram for a solid back with decent value for the second or third round.