Commanders @ Saints
Final Score: Commanders 20, Saints 19
Writer: Riley Blum
It looked like the Commanders may run away with this game early on, shutting the Saints out in the first half. New Orleans benched QB Jake Haener for rookie Spencer Rattler to begin the second half. Rattler and some penalties by the Commanders helped spark the Saints’ offense. The defense stepped it up as well, holding the Commanders’ offense to two field goals in the second half. After Greg Joseph missed a field goal, the Saints took possession with just under two minutes remaining. They managed to drive down the field, and Rattler connected with Foster Moreau for a touchdown as time expired. The Saints went for the two-point conversion and the win, but they could not convert, and the Commanders narrowly escaped with their ninth win of the season.
Four Up
- Terry McLaurin – Scary Terry continued his strong play, scoring two touchdowns, and could have had a nuclear game if a couple of passes were just slightly better thrown.
- Jayden Daniels – Daniels took care of the ball and led an effective offense despite missing a few big plays. He ran 11 times in this game, which is his most carries since playing the Browns in Week 5.
- Kendre Miller – Miller displays some explosiveness running the ball and could be in for a larger role if Alvin Kamara misses any time.
- Spencer Rattler – Though he wasn’t overly efficient, he provided the Saints a spark and gave them a chance to win the game. He likely won himself the starting role as long as Derek Carr is out.
Three Down
- Jake Haener – Haener struggled in this game, and he was benched in the second half. Spencer Rattler will likely start moving forward as long as Derek Carr is sidelined.
- Alvin Kamara – It’s hard to put him here after posting a solid fantasy score, but Kamara was inefficient as a runner and picked up a groin injury in the game.
- Juwan Johnson – Johnson wasn’t targeted until the Saints’ final drive and was out-produced by fellow TE Foster Moreau.
Washington Commanders
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels: 25/31, 226 yards, 2 TD, 11 carries, 66 yards
Daniels got off to a hot start, completing 17 of 19 passes in the first half, and connecting with Terry McLaurin twice for early touchdowns. Daniels showed off his escapability and mobility, extending plays with his legs and picking up multiple first downs on the ground. He did take 8 sacks, but that was more to do with the offensive line and Daniels not trying to take too many risks with the ball. He finished 25/31 for 226 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 66 yards on the ground. He could have had a bigger day if he didn’t miss McLaurin on a few deep passes that would have been touchdowns, but he still posted a solid fantasy. It’s good to see Daniels running the ball more; this was his first game with double-digit carries since Week 5.
https://www.twitter.com/Commanders/status/1868386991424913915
Missed Opportunities
- Daniels just missed Terry McLaurin on a deep pass in the fourth quarter that would have been the pair’s third touchdown connection of the game.
- He missed Terry McLaurin on what would have been another long touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The pass just had a little too much on it as McLaurin got his hand on the ball but could not bring it in.
- Daniels once again had Terry McLaurin open over the top for a touchdown but underthrew the ball just a bit, allowing the defender to break up the pass.
Running Back
Brian Robinson Jr.: 21 carries, 65 yards, 3 targets, 3 receptions, 22 yards
Robinson dominated the touches out of the backfield for the Commanders as Austin Ekeler remains on IR. The bruising runner did not manage to find the end zone, leading to a pretty pedestrian stat line for fantasy. As long as Ekeler is out, Robinson should continue to see the lion’s share of the workload and some more usage in the passing game.
Missed Opportunities
- Robinson was tackled at the one-yard line on the Commanders’ first drive of the second half.
Jeremy McNichols: 2 carries, 4 yards, 2 targets, 1 reception
McNichols served as the Commanders’ RB2, but Brain Robinson Jr. dominated the running back touches.
Chris Rodriguez Jr.: 1 carry, 2 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Terry McLaurin: 10 targets, 7 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TD
McLaurin easily led the Commanders in receiving across the board, and he connected with QB Jayden Daniels for two touchdowns in the first half. McLaurin was a go-to target for Daniels on third downs and was targeted on all levels of the field. His game could have been much bigger as he and Daniels could not connect on three long would-be touchdowns (two of those coming on the same drive). Scary Terry now has five touchdowns in his last three games, and should continue to be a strong start for fantasy managers.
https://www.twitter.com/Commanders/status/1868360947410370877
https://www.twitter.com/Commanders/status/1868371143452700917
Notes
- He faces a tough Eagles’ secondary next week, but gets a juicy match up against the Falcons in Week 17.
Missed Opportunities
- Jayden Daniels just missed McLaurin on a deep pass in the fourth quarter that would have been his third touchdown catch of the game.
- McLaurin nearly had another long touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. He beat the coverage over the top, but the throw was just a bit too long. McLaurin bobbled and could not bring it in.
- McLaurin beat his man again for what could have been a long TD catch, but he was slightly underthrown and had to wait on the ball, allowing the defender to recover and break up the play.
Zach Ertz: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 25 yards
Ertz hauled in a great one-handed catch to set the Commanders up with a first-and-goal situation but was injured on the play. He exited the game and was ruled out with a concussion. Due to the modern concussion protocol, his status is already questionable for next week.
Dyami Brown: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 30 yards
Dyami Brown got more run in this game, with WR Noah Brown missing the contest.
Missed Opportunities
- Brown had a big first down catch that would have helped seal the game, negated by a holding penalty.
Jamison Crowder: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 27 yards
Olamide Zaccheus: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 36 yards
Zaccheus finished second on the team in receiving and was targeted a few times on WR screens.
Luke McCaffrey: 1 targets, 1 receptions, 0 yards
Notes
- McCaffrey served as the Commanders’ kick returner.
Ben Sinnott: 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
John Bates: 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards
New Orleans Saints
Quarterback
Jake Haener: 4/10, 49 yards, 1 INT, 1 carry, 7 yards
Haener had a rough start, only completing four passes and taking three sacks in the first half. He wasn’t helped by Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropping two passes. There were times that Haener held the ball too long rather than taking the check down. His interception was the result of trying to do too much when Haener attempted to throw a long pass across his body. He was benched in favor of Spencer Rattler to begin the second half.
Notes
Missed Opportunities
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped two passes, one of which was a well-thrown deep ball that would have gone for a big gain.
Spencer Rattler: 10/21, 135 yards, 1 TD
Rattler took over for Jake Haener at the beginning of the second half. He provided an immediate spark, connecting with Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a deep pass and leading the Saints to their first score of the game. The Saints gained more yards on Rattler’s first drive than they did all of the first half. Rattler managed to lead the Saints down the field to potentially win the game on the final possession. He connected with Foster Moreau for a touchdown as time expired but could not complete the two-point conversion. The team played much better with Rattler at the helm, and he will likely get the next start in Derek Carr’s absence.
Running Back
Alvin Kamara: 5 carries, 12 yards, 5 targets, 4 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD
Kamara could not get much going on the ground in this game, but he continues to produce as a pass catcher, totaling four catches for 58 yards, including a 21-yard TD pass from receiver Cedric Wilson Jr. on a trick play. Kamara left the game with a groin injury in the second half. At least he turned in solid fantasy production for managers before exiting the contest. His status will need to be monitored heading into next week.
Kendre Miller: 9 carries, 46 yards, 1 target
Miller took over as the primary ball carrier after Alvin Kamara exited the game with a groin injury. Miller runs hard and did have a few chunk plays. Despite being stuffed on some other carries, the young back does show some burst. He should earn more touches moving forward. Miller should be added from waivers, and Kamara’s status should be monitored ahead of next week’s game.
Notes
- Miller served as the Saints’ kick returner. Worth noting for leagues that reward for return yards.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 7 targets, 2 receptions, 64 yards, 1 carry, 4 yards
MVS had some issues with drops in the first half. He made a great catch in front of Commanders’ defenders on a deep pass from Spencer Rattler on the Saints’ first drive of the second half. He had another good catch-and-run for 25 yards in the fourth quarter but was shaken up on the play. He was evaluated for a concussion but cleared to return later in the game. MVS remains a volatile player for fantasy purposes, and he does have a history of dropping passes.
https://www.twitter.com/Saints/status/1868384666346045508
Missed Opportunities
- MVS had a deep pass slip through his hands early in the first half.
- He had a drop on an out route with the Saints driving before halftime.
Kevin Austin Jr.: 3 targets, 1 receptions, 8 yards
Foster Moreau: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 39 yards, 1 TD
Foster Moreau connected with Spencer Rattler on the Saints’ final possession to convert on fourth down and again for a touchdown as time expired.
https://www.twitter.com/Saints/status/1868402934125379988
Dante Pettis: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 24 yards
Cedric Wilson Jr.: 1 target, 1/1, 21 yards, 1 TD
Wilson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass on a trick play early in the second half.
https://www.twitter.com/Saints/status/1868385299014791588
Juwan Johnson: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 12 yards
Johnson was not targeted until the Saints’ final possession. He caught two passes on the final drive and was targeted on the potential game-winning two-point conversion that fell incomplete.