New Orleans Saints News

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said there are currently no updates on the status of linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) after he injured his hamstring in the Week 11 loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. "No updates right now. Just monitoring it as we go," Harbaugh said. Smith injured his hamstring early in the fourth quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly after. Before leaving, the 27-year-old was busy, collecting 13 tackles (two for loss) against the Steelers. We'll have a better idea on Smith's Week 12 status once the Ravens resume practicing on Wednesday, but if he's unable to play, it will be a big loss for Baltimore's defense next Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. Smith currently checks in as the No. 3 fantasy linebacker in IDP leagues in overall points.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson caught all three of his targets for 30 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-14 victory over the Browns. The score came from one yard out and was Johnson's first trip to the end zone since Week 1 and was just the second touchdown against the Browns by an opposing tight end this season. Johnson also impressed with an acrobatic catch for a 20-yard gain in the second quarter, turning and jumping for the pass and reeling it in while twisting around mid-air. On the downside, he was responsible for a holding penalty in the first quarter that negated a 29-yard pickup on a 4th-and-1 that would have brought the Saints to Cleveland's four-yard line. Despite the injuries that have wrecked the Saints' wide receiver room, Johnson has not seen a significant uptick in production. Through 11 games, he now has 25 receptions for 277 yards with two touchdowns on 32 targets. The Saints are on bye in Week 12, then return to face the Rams where Johnson will once again be a touchdown-dependent dart throw.

A week after he exploded with a 3-109-2 line, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling took another catch to the house in the Saints' 35-14 win over the Browns. Similar to his Week 10 performance, MVS was seldom targeted but made the most of his opportunities. On four targets, he caught two balls for 87 yards and a touchdown, with the score being a 71-yard catch and run in the second quarter. With few other options for quarterback Derek Carr to throw to, Valdes-Scantling seems to have cemented his role as the team's go-to playmaker at wide receiver. Rashid Shaheed (knee) is out for the year, so even if Chris Olave (concussion) is activated from IR before the end of the season, MVS may still be featured as the deep threat for New Orleans. After their Week 12 bye, the Saints will face the Rams, followed by the Giants, who rank 29th and dead-last, respectively, in completion rate allowed on deep throws.

The Taysom Hill boom game we were all waiting for finally happened in Week 11. Hill had A career-high 138 rushing yards with three touchdowns on seven carries and led the Saints in receptions and targets, bringing in eight of his ten looks for 50 yards. He fulfilled the rest of his utility role with an 18-yard completion and a 42-yard kickoff return. His work in New Orleans' 35-14 win over the Browns equated to a whopping 42.52 PPR points. Hill threw an interception on his only other pass attempt in the game and lost a fumble but the turnovers did not deter the Saints from turning away from their jack of all trades. Since his Week 8 return from a multi-week absence due to injury, Hill is averaging 8.3 touches per game and has four touchdowns thanks to his performance against Cleveland. New Orleans is on bye in Week 12 but Hill will continue to be a factor thereafter.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara handled 16 carries for 67 yards and caught all four of his targets for 22 receiving yards in Sunday's 35-14 win over the Browns. Kamara found enough space to take his first handoff 13 yards and had an 18-yard gain on the ground in the fourth quarter but was stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage seven times. It was the first time since Week 7 that he finished short of 100 scrimmage yards and it was his fifth straight week without a touchdown. The four targets were the fewest that Kamara has seen in a game since Week 3. His use in Week 11 was a surprising step back from the norm, considering how thin the Saints are on offense thanks to their recent spate of injuries. Kamara should return to being the focal point of New Orleans' attack after their Week 12 bye and has a favorable schedule for the fantasy playoffs including a matchup against the Raiders in the championship round.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr completed 21 of his 27 pass attempts for 248 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns. Carr's first touchdown pass was a 71-yard job to Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who covered most of the ground after the catch as opposed to last week's deep shot through the air. Carr's other score went to Juwan Johnson from a yard out, giving the tight end his first trip to the end zone since Week 1. Carr looked great in the first half, with just two incompletions and a streak of 13 consecutive completed passes that stretched into the start of the third quarter. The performance marked just the second time this season that he eclipsed 20 completions in a game and he now has multiple touchdown passes in five of the eight games he has played. Carr's productivity since returning from his oblique injury is surprising, considering the losses the Saints have sustained to their receiving corps. He will be hard to trust as a QB1 but will be a candidate in formats that utilize two quarterbacks after New Orleans returns from their Week 12 bye.

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau (shoulder) has returned to the game on Sunday after briefly exiting with a shoulder injury. So far, Taysom Hill and Juwan Johnson have taken the bigger snap share when it comes to the tight end spot. Moreau will look to get into the mix during the second half while the Saints lead 14-6.

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of their game against the Cleveland Browns and is now considered questionable to return. The 27-year-old is usually good for a couple of targets per game but hasn't registered anything just yet in this matchup. Taysom Hill and Juwan Johnson will continue in the tight end spot in his place if he can't return.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner (hand) and rookie cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) are both active for the Week 11 game on Sunday versus the visiting Cleveland Browns. It's good news for a Saints defense that should be in play in fantasy leagues as a streaming option this weekend against a Browns offense that is being run by quarterback Jameis Winston. Cleveland's offensive line has been highly inconsistent and has allowed a league-high 43 sacks so far in 2024. Werner was expected to play despite being questionable after suffering a hand injury in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. McKinstry will be returning to the Saints' secondary after missing each of the last two games due to his hamstring ailment. The 22-year-old should reclaim his starting spot opposite Alontae Taylor.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) is active on Sunday for the Week 11 contest against the Cleveland Browns, while rookie receiver Mason Tipton is a healthy inactive. With Chris Olave (concussion) on Injured Reserve and Rashid Shaheed (knee) out for the season, the Saints' receiving corps is extremely thin. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has essentially become quarterback Derek Carr's top receiving target now after going for three catches, 109 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. Wilson, meanwhile, missed two of the last three games with hip and shoulder injuries, but he should have a significant role on Sunday against Cleveland in his return. Still, the 28-year-old should be considered a desperation flex option in deeper fantasy leagues in a Saints offense that runs through running back Alvin Kamara.

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau began the 2024-25 campaign by catching all four targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. However, outside of two more trips to the end zone, the 27-year-old has been quiet through the first 10 weeks. Granted, he has logged more snaps than Juwan Johnson, although he hasn't been as productive. Still, even with the potential for more attention from Derek Carr in the Week 11 meeting with the Cleveland Browns, Moreau is hard to trust from a fantasy standpoint, meaning he's only a starting option for those with nowhere else to turn.

New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe was perfect in Week 10, converting both of his field goal attempts and both extra point tries. He scored the first points of the game against the Falcons with a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter and hit another from 26 yards out in the third quarter. On the season he has missed just one of his 19 field goal attempts and is now 21-for-23 on extra points. Grupe offers a solid floor, rarely straying far from his average 7.5 fantasy points per game. In Week 11, the Saints face the Browns, who have offered little to opposing kickers this season, though that may be because they are allowing teams to reach the end zone more often than they are stopping them short, particularly in close range. Cleveland has only seen five field goals attempted at a distance of 39 yards or fewer. They have also had the good fortune of opponents going 8-for-14 from 40 yards out or more, with just one block to their credit. Grupe is 8-for-9 from that range. Grupe isn't an option to get excited about but a top-12 finish isn't out of the question. He is worth a look for fantasy managers seeking a kicker in Week 11.

New Orleans Saints jack of all trades Taysom Hill should have another week of modest usage with running back Jamaal Williams (groin) listed as out for the upcoming game against the Cleveland Browns. Hill has operated as the primary backup to Alvin Kamara with both Williams and Kendre Miller (hamstring) sidelined by injuries recently. Over the last three games, Hill has eight receptions for 98 yards and 13 rushing attempts for 53 yards and a touchdown. Last week, Hill was a holding penalty away from adding an 88-yard touchdown reception to his resume. The Browns have not been particularly generous to opposing tight ends this season but Hill does not fit the typical mold for the position. His consistent use out of the backfield (4.5 carries per game) elevates his floor and his touchdown potential keeps him in the running for a top-12 finish week-to-week. Hill makes for a solid play in Week 11 with so much of the Saints' offense ailing.

The New Orleans Saints have been rocked by injuries over the last several weeks. Wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion), Rashid Shaheed (knee), and Bub Means (ankle) are all on injured reserve, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) has missed two of the team's last three games and has a questionable tag for Sunday. With so many pass catchers ailing, one would expect that it would provide others ample opportunity for a bump in production. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for tight end Juwan Johnson. Over the last three weeks he has seven catches for 111 yards on nine targets. His last trip to the end zone came in Week 1 and his odds to change that against the Browns on Sunday are slim. In 2024, Cleveland has allowed just one touchdown to opposing tight ends and the third-fewest receptions to the position. Johnson can stay on the wire in Week 11.

Injuries to the New Orleans Saints wide receiver room cleared a path up the depth chart for rookie Mason Tipton. With Chris Olave (concussion), Rashid Shaheed (knee), and Bub Means (ankle) on injured reserve, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) out for Week 10, there seemed to be ample opportunity for Tipton to soak up some targets. Sadly, that wasn't the case as Tipton did not draw a single target in last week's game against the Falcons. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the main beneficiary of the Saints' lack of receiving talent, catching three balls for 109 yards and two scores against Atlanta, while running back Alvin Kamara was the preferred option on short routes. In Week 11, MVS can be expected to remain the team's deep option and if Wilson shakes his questionable tag, Tipton will have a hard time commanding targets against him or Kamara. He can safely be left on the waiver wire.

One of the biggest surprises of Week 10 was Marquez Valdes-Scantling. In his second game with the New Orleans Saints, the speedy veteran caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns. MVS has pushed up the depth chart thanks to the glut of injuries dealt to the Saints' wide receiver room. Of the five wide receivers that started the season on the team's active roster only rookie Mason Tipton was left standing last week. The situation might remain the same in the upcoming matchup against the Browns, with Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) tagged as questionable. Tipton was not targeted at all last week as quarterback Derek Carr focused most of his attention on running back Alvin Kamara and utilized MVS as his field stretcher. The 30-year-old journeyman has a chance for a repeat performance against the Browns, as they have struggled against the deep ball and have given up 11 touchdowns to opposing wideouts in 2024. MVS is worth a look in deeper leagues with 14 or more teams.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is in line for another week of heavy usage in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns. As injuries have chipped away at the Saints' depth at both wide receiver and running back, the team's reliance on Kamara has only grown stronger. Over the last three weeks he has been targeted on 41.9% of routes run and has 18.7 carries per game, compared to 25.3% and 15.9 over the first seven weeks of the season. The Browns have allowed the fewest receptions to opposing running backs this season but, given the lack of other options, the Saints will try to extend Kamara's streak of at least five receptions which goes back to Week 4. Kamara has not made it into the end zone since Week 6 but that could change against the Browns, who have allowed nine touchdowns on the ground in 2024, including three in the two games prior to their Week 10 bye. As usual, Kamara is a must-start in Week 11.

In his second game back following a multi-week absence due to an oblique injury, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr passed for a season high 269 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. Carr found success going deep, hitting wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for gains of 40 yards (and a touchdown) and 67 yards. The duo also connected for a two-yard touchdown pass. The performance was reminiscent of Carr's work earlier this season with deep threat Rashid Shaheed (knee). In Week 11, Carr is going against the Cleveland Browns, who have struggled against the deep ball in 2024, allowing the fifth-most receptions of 20 air yards or more. It is hard to trust Carr as a starter in standard leagues but he should be a solid option in two-quarterback or superflex formats.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) was limited in practice all week and is considered questionable to suit up on Sunday to face the visiting Cleveland Browns in Week 11. Wilson hasn't really been on the fantasy radar at all this year. The 28-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers and did not suit up in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. Wilson could be a true game-time decision, but it shouldn't matter much to fantasy managers, even with top wideout Chris Olave (concussion) on Injured Reserve. The former sixth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 out of Boise State has only 11 receptions (14 targets) for 122 yards and one score in eight games in 2024. If he's active, Wilson is likely to start in three-wide sets with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie Mason Tipton.

New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams (groin) was unable to practice all week and has been ruled out for Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. This will be Williams' third straight game missed due to a groin injury. Lead back Alvin Kamara had already been a workhorse back for the Saints before Williams' injury, but it ensures the 29-year-old will continue to see the lion's share of touches for the Saints, although Taysom Hill could be a bit more involved against Cleveland. Jordan Mims will operate as Kamara's primary backup with Kendre Miller (hamstring) still on Injured Reserve. At best, Williams is a handcuff option for fantasy managers in deep leagues that have Kamara rostered. Williams only has 32 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown in eight games played in 2024 in his second year with the Saints.