New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The New Orleans Saints got off to a good start in this game, scoring points on their first four drives to take a twenty-point lead. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers responded by scoring a touchdown late in the first half and a field goal on their first drive of the second half to cut into the lead, and responded to the Saint’s only offensive touchdown of the second half by coming right back down the field and scoring one of their own. It seemed like the Buccaneers were on their way to at least tying the game, but back-to-back interceptions by Jameis Winston, including a pick-six, ended their comeback bid. The Saints dominated the time of possession 37:00 to 23:00, a result of the multiple turnovers by Tampa Bay and the Saints getting out to a big lead early.
New Orleans Saints
Quarterbacks
- Drew Brees: 28/35, 228 yards, 3 TDs | 3 carries, 0 yards
- Taysom Hill: 1 carry, 2 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
A week after getting embarrassed by the Falcons defense the Saints got back on track today, led by three touchdowns from Drew Brees. Brees was efficient, leading the Saints to two field goals before taking advantage of a Tampa Bay turnover to hit Michael Thomas for a touchdown. After Brees found Jared Cook for a short touchdown that put the Saints up by twenty the offense slowed down, adding only one more score in the second half. Brees did most of his damage by targeting Alvin Kamara short and Michael Thomas on mostly intermediate routes, which seems likely to be the approach for the Saints now that their offense is healthy. Brees is a safe starting quarterback for fantasy, but for him to hit his ceiling he’ll need matchups where the other team keeps it competitive. It’s also hard to love starting Brees weekly when Taysom Hill is still taking snaps at quarterback, even if it’s only a few plays a game those are still plays where Brees does not even have an opportunity to touch the ball.
Running Backs
- Alvin Kamara: 13 carries, 75 yards | 10 targets, 10 receptions, 47 yards
- Latavius Murray: 10 carries, 27 yards | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards
Alvin Kamara did not have a stand-out fantasy performance, but he was one of the best players on the field for either team. Facing a tough Tampa Bay run defense Kamara was able to consistently gain four or more yards on his carries and would have had a bigger day if not for having a touchdown run called back by a holding penalty. He also caught all ten of his targets, and while none went for big gains he was a key part of keeping the chains moving. The volume and talent are still there, and Kamara remains a no-doubt start at running back every week he’s healthy. Latavius Murray had a tougher time in this matchup but the 10 carries and three targets he saw are encouraging for his future value. He got a few carries in the red zone and is a running back that can probably be flexed in favorable matchups that the Saints project to be able to attack on the ground.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Michael Thomas: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD
- Ted Ginn: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 14 yards, 1 TD
- Tre’Quan Smith: 1 target, 0 receptions
- Jared Cook: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 33 yards, 1 TD
Michael Thomas was predictably awesome today, getting wide open for the first touchdown of the game and later taking a simple slant route for a huge gain. Thomas looks like the best fantasy receiver in the NFL right now and should be valued accordingly. Ted Ginn and Jared Cook each caught short touchdowns, but otherwise, almost all of the passing attack was focused on Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Cook’s touchdown catch was a great effort on a jump ball, and he’s still a great athlete that is very difficult for defenses to cover. His problem is his lack of volume, but given the tight end landscape, he’s a useable option even with all of the other pass catchers for the Saints healthy.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
- Jameis Winston: 30/51, 313 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs | 2 carries, 23 yards
Jameis Winston continues to produce for fantasy owners but had a rough day on the field today. His first interception was not his fault, as O.J. Howard dropped the ball trying to put it behind his back and it bounced into the hands of a defender, but the other three were all mistakes that have become typical of Winston. He threw into coverage, he trusted his arm to make throws that weren’t there, and at times he struggled with his accuracy. He also left a few big plays on the field when he couldn’t find open receivers downfield because he was too preoccupied with the pass rush, and just generally did not look sharp. He didn’t get much help from his offensive line, and there were a few drops, but overall this was a game Winston would like to forget. All of that said, he still had over 300 yards and two touchdowns. He may not be back in Tampa Bay as the starter next season, but for now, Winston is a viable fantasy starter every week off of volume alone.
Running Backs
- Ronald Jones: 4 carries, 13 yards | 4 targets, 2 receptions, 1 yard
- Peyton Barber: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 11 yards, 1 TD
- Dare Ogunbowale: 2 carries, 0 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 10 yards
The Tampa Bay offensive line looked outmatched today, and that was reflected in the numbers their running backs put up. Ronald Jones got the start, but the Buccaneers quickly abandoned the run and aside from last week Jones has not been much of a factor as a receiver. He had a few screens called for him, but the blocking was bad and he was unable to turn those targets into anything. The biggest concern for Jones coming out of this game is how quickly he can fall out of the game plan if Tampa Bay falls behind, as both Dare Ogunbowale and Peyton Barber are better receivers. Jones should still be considered an option to start weekly depending on your other options, but just be aware that he is very game-flow dependent and if the Buccaneers project to be trailing for most of the game he makes for a very risky play. Barber and Ogunbowale do not see enough volume to be useable for fantasy and remain nothing more than a drag on the fantasy value of Jones.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Mike Evans: 8 targets, 4 receptions, 69 yards
- Chris Godwin: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 47 yards, 1 TD
- Scott Miller: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 71 yards
- Breshad Perriman: 3 targets, 1 reception, 20 yards
- Cameron Brate: 14 targets, 10 receptions, 73 yards
- O.J. Howard: 1 target, 0 receptions
Mike Evans had a quiet fantasy day but was one of Jameis Winston’s go-to targets in this one. He drew a defensive pass interference penalty and would have converted a huge fourth down for the Buccaneers if not for a questionable offensive pass interference call on a push-off. Chris Godwin dropped a touchdown but was able to score later in the game, making a nice catch on a ball thrown too low before turning and outrunning the defense to the end zone after a nice block by Evans created some space for him. Both guys were limited somewhat by Winston not having a ton of time to throw but should be fine going forward. O.J. Howard saw an early target that he appeared to catch before trying to put the ball behind his back for reasons that remain unclear. He ended up losing control of the ball which resulted in an interception, and then Howard was essentially taken out of the game plan. Cameron Brate stepped in and saw an incredible 14 targets, so it seems like there was an emphasis on attacking the Saints by using the tight end position. Howard’s mistakes this season, coupled with the very short leash he appears to have, make him hard to trust as a starter. If we get word this week that Howard is being benched for his mistake, then Brate would be an interesting pickup. He may not be as gifted as Howard, but Brate is talented in his own right and has shown some good chemistry with Winston.
- Dan Adams