The Saints’ roller-coaster of a season took a turn in the right direction in Week 10 after they replaced coach Dennis Allen with Darren Rizzi. In their first game with Rizzi in command, the Saints knocked off their division rival in the Atlanta Falcons, winning 20-17. One of the stars was wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling ($4,400), who stepped up to fill a huge need at WR. He can also help fill a need on your fantasy team moving forward, since he should remain one of the Saints’ few big-play threats.
Here’s why I think MVS can inject your fantasy lineups with some extra rocket fuel in the coming weeks.
How Marquez Valdes-Scantling got here
Early in the season, the Saints looked like a very effective offense with Derek Carr ($5,200) and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak guiding them to big wins against the Panthers and Cowboys. Things fell apart in a hurry, though, as the team lost seven games in row, Carr battled injury, and ultimately, Allen was fired.
Along the way, the Saints lost multiple wide receivers. Chris Olave has had multiple injuries and is on IR with his second concussion of the season, and starter Rashid Shaheed has been ruled out for the season after a knee injury. Rookie Bub Means flashed for a minute but then landed on IR with an ankle injury. Even Cedrick Wilson Jr. ($4,300; shoulder) went down with an injury and was ruled out for this last week.
With all those players sidelined, someone had to step up for the Saints since we know Carr’s going to throw the ball around. On Saturday, I said that you should stash Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but I didn’t know he was about to put up one of the biggest games of the week.
He only had three targets, but he turned those targets into 109 yards and two touchdowns. One was a long score on a deep throw from Carr:
Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Welcome to the DOME!
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/QRmg5SRBZn
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 10, 2024
His other score also came in the first half on this short strike from Carr.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling just scored his SECOND TD of the game 😤 pic.twitter.com/asfM112alb
— Saints Nation (@SaintsNationCP) November 10, 2024
He tied for second on the team with 16 routes behind only Alvin Kamara ($8,200), and as he continues to get more familiar and settle in, he should get more targets going forward. He definitely reminded everyone of his upside in Week 10.
Where Marquez Valdes-Scantling can go from here
Going forward, the Saints really have no other proven wide receiver options available. Wilson could return and join Mason Tipton ($4,600) and Jermaine Jackson ($3,000), but none of them has been as productive this season. Last week, while MVS was going off, Tipton and Jackson totaled zero targets. Wilson did have six catches and a touchdown back in Week 7 but he only has five catches for 65 yards the rest of the season.
Valdes-Scantling should continue to get plenty of work since he brings so much big-play potential.
Looking ahead, the Saints face the Browns in Week 11 and then have their bye week in Week 12. In Week 13, he returns with a top-10 WR matchup against the Rams before games with the Giants and Commanders. In the last two weeks of the fantasy season, he’ll go to Green Bay on Monday Night Football just before Christmas and finish with a good matchup against the Raiders.
If you didn’t stash Valdes-Scantling ahead of this week, he’s a great piece to add since he could be the team’s top WR for at least the next few weeks and possibly the rest of the season.
For DFS contests like the NFL $2.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st], Valdes-Scantling is still remarkably affordable with his salary under $4,500 this week against Cleveland.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
