Game Info
Kickoff: Thursday, October 20th at 8:15 PM ET
Location: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
Betting Odds: ARZ -2, 44 Total on Oddsshark
Network: AMAZON
Writer: Justin Herrera (@semtexmex93 on Twitter)
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback
Andy Dalton (Sit), Jameis Winston (Sit)
Both Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston are dealing with back injuries coming into Week 7. The Cardinals are the 22nd-best team against the QB position, allowing 18.4 fantasy points a game. The Cardinals have the second-highest scoring percentage per opposing team’s offensive drives (45%). This means the Cardinals allow an offensive score on almost half of the offense’s drives. The problem is Dalton has only achieved 200 passing yards once this year and Jameis has five interceptions in the past two games. While I like the matchup and I think Jameis will play, you can’t pay me enough to trust either this week. Unless your team had Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts and there’s no other starter available, then sure start one of these guys.
Running Backs
Alvin Kamara (Start, RB1)
Alvin Kamara came back strong last week for 124 yards from scrimmage. Kamara took 79% of the snaps last week and is starting to heat up at the right time. Kamara faces a Cardinals team that allows 16.9 fantasy points a game to RBs and are also giving up the most receiving touchdowns to running backs (3). The Saints are in need of weapons this week with Michael Thomas out yet again and Chris Olave returning from concussion protocol. Start Kamara this week as an RB1, as he’s had two back-to-back great weeks totaling 318 scrimmage yards.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Chris Olave (Start, WR2), Trequan Smith (Sit), Marquez Callaway (Sit), Juwan Johnson (Sit), Taysom Hill (Start, Low-End Flex)
Chris Olave cleared concussion protocol and is good to go for Thursday Night. So far he’s been everything you would’ve wanted from the 11th pick in this year’s draft. He fits Winston’s style of football with an 18-yard ADOT, 15 deep targets (most in NFL), and 754 air yards, also most in the NFL. Olave with Winston at the helm was averaging 9.6 targets a game. No Michael Thomas means no problem starting Chris Olave as a WR2. Tre’quan Smith has had two games worthy of a WR36 finish and last week was his latest. Smith caught three passes, for 43 yards and a TD, while being on the field 83% of the teams’ snaps. With Olave back, Smith might not see a lot of the field this week.
Marquez Callaway is technically the backup to the possession receiver spot held by Thomas, but even after getting 83% of the snaps and seven targets. I don’t expect to do anything with Callaway this week outside of sitting him. Juwan Johnson offers the most upside for the tight end position. Playing 87.1% of snaps in Week 6 and getting targeted six times, but he still only put up 8.1 fantasy points in PPR leagues. Taysom Hill has been boom or bust this entire year, but if you need someone for a bye Hill might be worth a grab.
Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Kyler Murray (Start, QB1)
Kyler Murray is 16-10 when his favorite receiver De’Andre Hopkins is on the field. The contrast is that he’s 6-13-1 without Hopkins. Murray needs this spark to make him the QB1 you drafted, this year he hasn’t been terrible, with three top-10 performances. He has been relying a lot on his arm and just last week got his legs involved to the tune of 100 rushing yards. The Saints are the fourth-worst team when it comes to rushing touchdowns to QBs (2), which should be something that Murray looks to exploit. Look for Kyler to be a QB1 this week.
Running Backs
James Conner (Start, RB2), Eno Benjamin (Sit)
James Conner missed last week but has been atrocious this entire year. Conner has yet to get over 100 yards in a game this year and has one touchdown. The Saints have allowed 18.2 fantasy points per game and have given up the tenth most touchdowns to running backs this year.
Eno Benjamin had 65 total yards against a porous Seahawk defense and left a lot of fantasy managers feeling bad about their waiver claims. Expect a healthy to be a startable RB2 this week against a not-so-good Saints Run D.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
De’Andre Hopkins (Start, WR1), Rondale Moore (Start, High-End Flex), Zach Ertz (Start)
De’Andre Hopkins’ return is going to spark a lot of attention to this Thursday Night game. The Fantasy Football community is waiting to see what this means for their lineups and Kyler’s QB1 status. Last week without Marshon Lattimore the Saints gave up two touchdowns and 132 yards to Ja’Marr Chase. The Saints have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers (26.3). Look for Hopkins to return to WR1 status with Lattimore being out.
Rondale Moore was on the field for 97% of the teams’ snaps and with Marquise Brown out then that secures Moore as the slot for the next month to month and a half. After his back-to-back double-digit fantasy performances, I can see Moore as high-end flex, especially in PPR leagues. Zach Ertz is playing the second-best team against the fantasy tight end, allowing only two points per game. Ertz has averaged 8.5 targets a game and has been a target hog for the Cardinals. While the defense is good against tight ends, I’ll stick with Ertz who’s been a beast and a TE1 the entire year.