The NFL season is quickly approaching, and fantasy drafts are in full swing. At DraftKings, you can play an array of different season-long fantasy contests.
This is a look at the fantasy value of all the players in the New Orleans Saints’ backfield.
New Orleans Saints Offense
The Saints had one of the worst offenses in the NFL last season, and there aren’t too many signs that the unit will be much improved this season. Last season, the Saints put up absurd numbers in the first two games of the season. However, something flipped, and the team started to spiral. Then, Derek Carr suffered a season-ending injury. The Saints then used a combination of Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener at quarterback, neither of whom seemed ready for the job. During the offseason, New Orleans drafted Tyler Shough out of Louisville with its second-round pick. Rattler has won the job, and while Shough might get a chance sometime this season, Rattler will be the Week 1 starter. That at least provides some continuity from last season for the Saints’ offense.
In addition to the dire quarterback situation last season, they also suffered other injuries that hurt their offense. Taysom Hill, Chris Olave and Marquez Valdes-Scantling only played eight games apiece, and Rashid Shaheed only played six games. Olave was the Saints’ leading wide receiver. Two tight ends and Alvin Kamara are the only players to finish the season with more receiving yards than Olave. Despite only playing in 14 games, Kamara was one of the more reliable players for New Orleans. He finished the season with a career-high 950 rushing yards and ranked second among running backs in the NFL in receiving yards. As long as the passing game continues to struggle, they will lean heavily on Kamara to carry their offense.
Running Back Handcuff: Kendre Miller
Kamara will be the main man in the Saints’ backfield for the ninth straight season, but there is a need for a strong backup. Kamara is 30 years old and has not played more than 15 games since his rookie season. He has missed a couple of weeks due to injury in almost every season of his career, and that problem is likely to get worse as he ages. The Saints were hoping that Kendre Miller would be that solid backup when they drafted him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, Miller has not been able to stay on the field, playing only 14 combined games across his first two seasons. Last season, the Saints were forced to turn to Jamaal Williams and others when Miller wasn’t available.
Despite the injury issues, Miller is the clear handcuff for Kamara. If he can manage to stay healthy, he should see a decent dose of action even when Kamara is healthy, and will be the primary back if Kamara’s injury trend continues. The Saints’ passing game is likely to lack explosiveness for the second straight season, which will force them to lean heavily on the running game and heavily target the running backs in the passing game. Any Saints player is a risk to take in fantasy because of their lack of offensive potency, but if you want a handcuff for an injury-prone veteran in Kamara, Miller is the choice.
