The New Orleans Saints will host the Denver Broncos in Week 7 on Thursday Night Football. We have fantasy football start-sit advice for every fantasy-relevant player for the Saints so you can make the best decisions for your lineups.
If you want more advice, head to our Week 7 Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every player in every game.
Spencer Rattler, QB
If you’re glazing through the Week 6 scores, you’ll notice that the Saints scored 27 points with Rattler at the controls, but there is nothing to see here.
- Second quarter: 77 passing yards and a touchdown (7.6 fantasy points)
- Other three quarters: 166 passing yards and two interceptions (4.8 fantasy points)
Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) have already been ruled out — dump-offs to Alvin Kamara only add up so fast.
Derek Carr should be back in the next week or two — the Saints travel to Carolina in Week 9, and that will be your spot for DFS exposure if you think this offense can rediscover its form from Weeks 1-2.
Alvin Kamara, RB
I overcalculated the impact a change under center would have on Kamara’s role in the passing game, as that is now three straight games with at least eight targets, a role that, even without any production on the ground, would be worthy of a spot in most fantasy lineups.
The lack of efficiency concerns that I raised this offseason are alive and well (24 carries for 66 yards with zero 10-yard runs over the past two weeks), but it simply doesn’t matter. The Broncos lead the league in blitz rate and rank fourth in pressure percentage, a style of play that is begging for Kamara to threaten the NFL record for receptions in a game.
Maybe not, but it’s more than enough to keep him in lineups across the board, even if you think the carries hold next to zero value.
Bub Means, WR
Bub Means was the standout producer from Week 6 due to the carnage at the WR position for New Orleans in Spencer Rattler’s first start. The fifth-round rookie led the team in targets (eight) and led the secondary receivers in snap share (69.7%) in the blowout loss to the Buccaneers.
He was a big play threat during his collegiate days, an interesting strength, but more for when Derek Carr is back under center. No Saints players had a double-digit aDOT last week, meaning he will need to post another impressive target share to prove deserving of your trust. It was also encouraging to see him lead the team in slot targets, but that role is in flux as this team adjusts to the rash of injuries.
Means is more of an interesting option moving forward than in Week 7. He is projected to score 8.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 3.3 receptions for 36.4 yards and 0.2 touchdowns.
Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR
Cedrick Wilson Jr. is playing for his third team in four seasons, and while he’s yet to break out, he certainly has the experience edge over these secondary pieces that are being pressed into a greater role. He led the Saints in slot participation in Week 6, and if he can carve out that role, there’s a path to Flex value in the short term.
For his career, Wilson has produced 12.2% over fantasy expectation, and his consistent route running should earn him as good an opportunity to see looks in this offense as anyone. With the most NFL reps under his belt, Wilson should be viewed as the most reliable of the healthy Saint receivers, though his upside is limited.
Wilson is projected to score 4.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 1.4 receptions for 17.8 yards and 0.2 touchdowns.
Chris Olave, WR
Olave departed Week 6’s blowout loss early with a concussion and has already been ruled out for this contest (Thursday Night Football). We’ve seen concussion protocol carry an average absence of one game, creating early optimism that New Orleans’ WR1 will be back in Week 8.
Olave has been a top-20 receiver just once this season (Week 4), struggles that are concerning. But if he and Derek Carr return next week for the Chargers game, I’ll be ranking him as a fine WR2 in all formats.
Mason Tipton, WR
Tipton averaged 15.8 yards per catch during a four-year career at Yale, and while he only caught one pass in Week 6, he figures to be more involved this week against a Broncos defense that is down Patrick Surtain (concussion).
Tipton was on the field for 40.9% of the snaps last week, trailing both Bub Means (69.7%) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (53%), but that rate could shoot up if the Saints elect to deploy the shortest of their healthy receivers more in the slot in Week 7.
Last week, 47.5% of Spencer Rattler’s passes traveled no more than five yards downfield, making a chain-moving role next to Alvin Kamara a valuable one and one that this 24-year-old could fill tonight.
Tipton is projected to score 3.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 1.1 receptions for 16.2 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Rashid Shaheed, WR
Shaheed’s breakout season has hit a speed bump, as a seemingly minor knee injury suffered last week now needs surgery, sidelining the speedster.
We’ve yet to get a timeline, but for a receiver who relies on athleticism to pay the fantasy bills, meniscus surgery is a concern, even once he is activated. I’m holding for now, but this situation doesn’t project well for Shaheed or any of the pieces of this passing game.
Taysom Hill, TE
Hill has missed consecutive games with fractured ribs, and his status remains cloudy. With Derek Carr out for at least one more game, there’s a path for New Orleans to weaponize their versatile “tight end” in a fantasy-friendly way.
The Saints failed to score in three of four quarters last week with Spencer Rattler under center, creating a void that Hill naturally could fill. I like the idea of adding him now in a wait-and-assess sort of way. If we get news on Friday (or earlier) that he will be inactive, you simply move on. But if he’s able to take the field, we could be looking at a top-10 producer at the position that is free of charge in most leagues.
