Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 20th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Betting Odds: LAR +3, 39 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX
Writer: Ryan Kruse (@ryanpkruse on Twitter)
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford (Sit), John Wolford (Sit)
Matthew Stafford couldn’t clear concussion protocol in time, so he had to sit out the Rams’ Week 10 game against the Cardinals. Stafford will likely clear concussion protocol and play this week, but he will be ranked well outside QB1 territory. Stafford is only averaging a paltry 11.7 fantasy points per game this year and, to make matters worse, will be without his best receiver for at least the next four weeks.
Even though John Wolford was under center for most of last week’s game against Arizona, he only scored a measly 8.8 fantasy points. Wolford should be left on the waiver wire even if Stafford can’t play this week.
Running Backs
Darrell Henderson Jr. (Sit, Flex), Kyren Williams (Sit), Cam Akers (Sit)
Darrell Henderson Jr. split carries with Cam Akers last week, but the former has shown more consistent efficiency this year. Unfortunately, the Rams have the fourth-lowest rushing percentage in the league, and there aren’t many opportunities in this backfield. Henderson only had six carries and one target last week, and a rushing TD was the only thing that salvaged his 10.2 fantasy total.
Although Henderson may technically be the most valuable Rams RB for the time being, this is still an incredibly muddy backfield that will take at least a week or two to flesh out. Henderson is a touchdown-dependent low-end flex option and I wouldn’t feel confident starting him in most scenarios. The Saints have been capable against running backs this year, allowing the 13th-fewest fantasy points to the position.
Kyren Williams finally returned from his long stint on the injured reserve list last week and was eased in with just three targets and one carry. That said, the rookie seems to have passed the eye test. Williams looked explosive in the passing game and secured all three of his targets for 30 yards. Henderson’s fantasy value could take another hit if Kyren carves out a role for himself in the passing game. That said, Williams should remain stashed on the fantasy bench for at least one more week until we see how this backfield shakes out.
It’s been a rough season for Cam Akers. From off-field drama to on-field inefficiency, the guy has struggled all season. Things only figure to get worse for Akers as Williams gets more involved with this offense. Cam is no more than a deep-league bench stash at this point.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Cooper Kupp (Sit), Van Jefferson (Start, WR3), Allen Robinson II (Start, WR3), Ben Skowronek (Sit), Tyler Higbee (Start, TE1)
Cooper Kupp was unfortunately hurt last week when a defender rolled over his right leg. The elite receiver underwent ankle surgery on Wednesday and will go on the injured reserve list, leaving him inactive for at least the next four weeks. Fantasy managers should prepare for the very likely scenario that Kupp’s season is over. Even if he’s healthy enough to play in Week 15, the Rams will likely keep Cooper on the bench if the team is already out of playoff contention.
The loss of Kupp will be a big blow to the Rams’ offense and the fantasy community. 2021’s best fantasy wide receiver was having another great season in ’22. Before the injury, Kupp was the overall WR4 on the season and was still within reach of another first-place finish.
The biggest question Kupp’s departure raises is which wide receiver will step up and hold more fantasy value over the coming weeks. Allen Robinson should expect an increased target share. He’s been on the field for 91.5% of the Rams’ offensive snaps this year, but his fantasy output has been disappointing.
Van Jefferson was a popular waiver wire pickup this week. Jefferson showed good chemistry with Stafford last year and was the second-most targeted Rams receiver in 2021. Robinson has been disappointing all season, but that doesn’t mean Jefferson will take the WR1 distinction straight away. Van has yet to catch a pass from Stafford in 2022 and has only been active the last three weeks after sitting out most of the season with a knee injury.
The Kupp injury will mean more targets for both of these receivers, but it remains to be seen which one of these guys turns the opportunity into consistent fantasy production. Both should be capable of at least WR3 production this week against a Saints defense that’s been middling in fantasy points conceded to wide receivers and passing yards allowed. That said, I believe Jefferson has more potential upside of the two.
Ben Skowronek saw increased usage last week after Kupp went down but only secured two of his seven targets. It’s best to leave Skowronek on the waiver wire even after the Rams lost their best pass catcher. He won’t be dependable enough for most fantasy formats.
There’s a good chance Tyler Higbee takes plenty of Kupp’s massive 30% target share for himself. Higbee was already the second-most-targeted player on the Rams before Cooper’s injury with 20% of the team targets, and was the target leader last week, catching eight of eight. The Saints are tied for the fewest fantasy points allowed to tight ends this year, but the expected increased volume should keep Higbee in the TE1 conversation.
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback
Andy Dalton (Sit)
Andy Dalton has started for the Saints since Week 4 and only has two wins and an average of 13.7 fantasy points per game to show for it. Dalton won’t belong in the start conversation likely for the rest of the season.
Running Backs
Alvin Kamara (Start, RB2)
It’s been a mixed bag for Alvin Kamara this year. The veteran back’s best performance of the season was only three weeks ago when he tallied 42.8 fantasy points, but he’s only averaged 8.5 fantasy points a game over his last two. Despite the recent poor performances, Kamara’s immense ceiling is undeniable, and it will be tough to bench a first-round pick that can pop off at any moment.
The Rams have allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to running backs and the fourth-fewest rushing yards this year. The match-up isn’t great, but Alvin should still be capable of high-end RB2 production this week.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Chris Olave (Start, WR2), Jarvis Landry (Sit), Juwan Johnson (Start, TE2), Taysom Hill (Sit)
Chris Olave has been underwhelming lately, averaging 10.1 fantasy points a game over the last three. The good news is he is still the No. 1 receiver in New Orleans and leads the team with 22.5% of their target share. Olave should be capable of a return to WR2 fantasy production this week against a Rams secondary that’s been middling this year. LAR has allowed the 16th-most passing yards in the league.
Although he led the Saints wideouts in targets in his return from an ankle injury last week, Jarvis Landry was only able to haul in three passes for another lackluster 6.7-point performance. Last week’s dud wasn’t much of a surprise. Jarvis was hovering between four and six-point totals before the injury as well. The target share is encouraging, but we need to see Landry put up the numbers before we can trust him this late in the fantasy season.
Juwan Johnson is averaging 12.8 fantasy points per game over his last four and has scored four touchdowns in that same span. Johnson has become one of Dalton’s favorite receivers and led the team in targets last week. One worry for Week 11 will be if Johnson can continue his impressive fantasy production against a Rams defense allowing the fewest points to tight ends. The recent production and target share are still enough to rank Johnson as a high-end TE2 and worthy of start consideration.
The Taysom Hill experiment may be officially over in New Orleans. The veteran “tight end” had a few impressive games this year, including Week 5, where he put up 34.1 fantasy points. Unfortunately, outside his anomalous 34-point week, Hill is averaging just 6.1 fantasy points per game. Hill is quickly becoming an afterthought for fantasy managers and doesn’t belong in the start conversation.