Saints Fantasy Football Week 1 Preview: vs. Cardinals
By Mike Delayo
The first couple of weeks in September are the starting points of two crucial seasons: college and fantasy football. For first timers, both are quite intimidating.
I was a nervous wreck heading into my freshman year of college, and my head was constantly full of concerns:
“What if I take the wrong classes? Or pick the wrong major?”
“I won’t know anyone else there. What if I don’t meet anyone?”
“What if I flunk my classes?”
“I hope the Eagles fans don’t eat me alive”
All of the above were legitimate fears that I, and tons of other students, had to deal with heading into the first year of college (with the fourth still pending).
Newcomers in fantasy football are not much different from incoming college students. This fantasy season will be the first for one of my family members who has not spent much time following the NFL. While helping them prepare for the upcoming season, they expressed some eerily familiar fears:
“What if I pick the wrong players?”
“I don’t know any of the players. Will I be able to learn about enough of them?”
“What if I come in last place? Is everyone else better than me?”
“I hope the Eagles fans don’t eat me alive”
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The nerve-wracking experiences of leaving home for college and drafting your first fantasy football team are relatively one and the same. It is not unreasonable to have some of these fears heading in. In fact, its normal.
Years of attending college preparation classes, listening to “professional” advice from friends and family and reading online articles can only do so much to prepare you for your experience. Because in the end, no friend, teacher or writer knows what will happen when you get to college because it is YOUR personal experience.
The same goes for fantasy. You can study projections, read analysis and do as many mock drafts as your heart desires. In the end, it may pay off. You could also come in dead last. What you do know for sure is that it is impossible to tell what will happen until it does.
Starting college and fantasy sports can seem daunting. To enjoy them, the worries need to be tossed by the wayside. Predicting exactly what will happen is not only impossible, but pointless.
The best thing to do is kick back, get your work done, and see what happens next.
Just watch out for the Eagles fans.
With that, let’s get into our week one preview….
Week One: @ Arizona Cardinals
Oct 30, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Saints defeated the Panthers 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
HOT: Mark Ingram
As the feature back for the Saints yet again this season, Mark Ingram could finally break out in a big way as a top tier running back in both fantasy and the NFL.
Ingram is in prime position to dominate touches on first and second down given the uncertain status of CJ Spiller heading into the start of the season. Khiry Robinson may get a few touches here and there, but not enough to deal a blow to Ingram’s value.
Ingram has shown he has the talent to take over the game as a primary back, it is just a matter of showing it on every play.
He may not possess the level of quickness his father had as a receiver on the Giants, but he can make guys miss here and there to get into the open field. If he cannot shake his defenders, he can make lemonade out of his lemons and at least tough out two to three yards with his big frame.
Imagine a former Heisman level running back from Alabama barely being able to get at least three yards a carry? Seems unlikely, but I guess you never know.
The Cardinals ranked 13th in rushing defense last season, right around league average, and that was with guys like Darnell Docket and John Abraham on the IR. The Cards are not far removed from their league leading run defense in 2013, so they could potentially cause some trouble in the Saints backfield.
The bolstered offensive line of the Saints should help offset the renewed health of the Arizona. Ingram is not an easy tackle either, so if he can get a few holes here and there, expect at the very least some decent production.
This could finally be Ingram’s breakout season, and he has a chance to get the ball rolling right away against the Cardinals.
Oct 5, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) in the third quarter of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
NOT: Brandin Cooks
I expect Brandin Cooks to have a fantastic season this year. It does not get much better than being Drew Brees’ number one target, especially for a guy as talented and versatile as Cooks.
However, that breakout season may not start until week two.
The Cardinals happen to employ Patrick Peterson, one of the top defensive backs in football. Peterson is a hot name due to his propensity for big plays, but he also has a knack for allowing those same kinds of plays. It is just a matter of which Peterson shows up on that given day.
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Peterson is one of the few matchups for top receivers that can raise a red flag when setting your fantasy lineup each week. He is not as scary as Darrelle Revis at his best, but he still causes enough hesitation to really annoy some fantasy owners.
Sean Payton will definitely try to find ways to get Cooks some opportunities, but it will not be as easy as it will against the Bucs and the Cowboys in the following weeks.
If Cooks is on your team this season, you probably had to snatch him in one of the first three rounds. I am not going to tell you to sit your third round pick just because the matchup is not favorable. There is a reason you picked him that high: he should be able to thrive in most situations.
While it is certainly possible Cooks could bust out a 100 yard game at any given point, Patrick Peterson will not make it easy for him. He will be trying his best to make Cooks owners nationwide start questioning their draft choice.
May 28, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) talks with tight ends Josh Hill (89) and Benjamin Watson during organized team activities at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
NOT: Ben Watson or Josh Hill
From an NFL standpoint, having two solid options at tight end on your team is great.
From a fantasy perspective, it is far from it.
Watson and Hill both have what it takes to be on the field with Brees and the rest of the offensive starters. And that is the problem for fantasy owners: it is likely they both will be.
To start the season, it is unlikely either will emerge to take full control of the starting tight end spot. Hill may rack up a few catches in one game, but Watson may be in there for the score. That’s just the way it is going to be some games.
While both of these guys are splitting reps, it is probably best to go with a different, more reliable tight end. Hill has more upside if he can wrench more reps from Watson over time, but for week one, it will be like playing the lottery.
It is not the end of the world if you have to start either of these tight ends to kick off your season, especially given the unappealing crop of tight ends throughout the rest of the league.
But considering we have yet to see how each will be utilized in the offense this season, the risk could outweigh the potential reward……