Saints Fantasy Football Week 3 Preview vs. Panthers

Week two of the NFL season was about as unpredictable as you could imagine.

The Jaguars, Buccaneers, Redskins, Raiders and Jaguars all won on the same day for the first time in history (and probably the last).

Travis Benjamin and Allen Robinson were both top four wide receivers in fantasy. Derek Carr and Tyrod Taylor outscored Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Jimmy Clausen got to play football!

This unpredictability can be extremely frustrating, especially for those who listened to a certain writer predict big things for the Saints offense in week two. Oops.

But it is also what makes fantasy football so fun. The glory of starting a guy like Benjamin and the agony of playing against him are the driving forces that keep us interested and engaged.

Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin (11) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

I still brag about starting Bobby Rainey when he randomly torched the Falcons in 2013, but I also get bashed for when I started James Starks in a championship game (which is well deserved).

Who knows? Maybe Luke McCown is the answer to all of the Saints offensive troubles. Maybe he is the one that can lead New Orleans all the way back to the Super Bowl!

Ok, probably not. But that is precisely the point. It could.

As the season presses forward, try not to get frustrated. The NFL has proven time and time again that football is as unpredictable as it is entertaining. So the best you can do is kick back, relax, and hope that the person you are playing does not have this week’s Travis Benjamin.

Here is the (admittedly bleak) forecast for the fantasy relevant Saints against the Carolina Panthers.

NOT: Mark Ingram

Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) breaks a tackle by Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Major Wright (31) during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Buccaneers won 26-19. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Ingram has managed to produce a couple of solid fantasy outings to start the season. Even so, he is not a safe start for any fantasy owner this week.

More from Big Easy Believer

• New Orleans Saints: Three biggest questions heading into the offseason
• New Orleans Saints: Three positives to take from playoff loss
• New Orleans Pelicans: Betting guide vs. Sacramento Kings
• New Orleans Saints: Bold predictions for Wild Card Round vs. Vikings
• New Orleans Pelicans: Betting guide in Los Angeles Lakers rematch

Through two games he has twenty five carries for just seventy seven yards, just a tick over three yards a carry.

Fellow back Khiry Robinson has averaged over five yards a carry, gaining sixty seven yards on just thirteen carries. If Ingram cannot find any space, Robinson may have the chance to steal away more early down carries.

In week one, nearly half of Ingram’s points came off of a single play: a fifty nine yard swing pass from Drew Brees. Credit to Ingram for making the play happen, but relying on those type of explosive plays from him is unrealistic.

He has shown he is not useless in the passing game, but with CJ Spiller back in action, it is not likely Ingram will sniff another eight reception, ninety eight yards receiving day any time soon.

The Panthers are not an easy team to run against either: opposing running backs have thirty eight carries they and only 121 rushing yards so far this season.

Week three could be a tough one for Ingram if he does not find the end zone. If he is not effective early, Spiller and Robinson are waiting in the wings and could become a lot more involved in the offense. If that is the case, Ingram owners could be in trouble.

NOT: Brandin Cooks

Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) catches a pass as Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Alterraun Verner (21) chases during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Through the first two weeks of what was predicted by many to be his breakout season, Brandin Cooks has come up a bit short.

He has nine catches, 111 yards and no touchdowns to his name after two games, which is not terrible, but it is certainly not ideal for a starting wide receiver in fantasy.

In week one he had to deal with Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, so getting around fifty yards from that matchup could have been considered a win.

Against Tampa Bay, Cooks took advantage of the few opportunities he had. He hauled in five of his team high seven targets for sixty two yards.

The major issue for Cooks has not been his own individual play, but the play of the man that needs to get him the ball: Drew Brees.

Brees has long been an elite quarterback in the NFL, but the way he played in the first two weeks is not going to get the job done for Brandin Cooks or the Saints.

More from Drew Brees

• New Orleans Saints: Why Drew Brees’ injury will end up being a good thing
• 5 Reasons Why the National Media Doesn’t Consider Drew Brees Elite
• Saints Ticket Holders Could Be In For a Treat in 2016
• Are The Saints Out Of “Luck” With Brees Contract Talks?
• West Virginia and The Greenbrier Counting On Saints “Family”

It is great at times to spread the ball around at times, but when your offense desperately needs a kick start you have to put the ball in the hands of the most explosive playmakers.

Cooks still has to show he can deal with the coverage that comes with being the number one target on an NFL team. If he cannot start to get into the open field and make some big plays, some more of the blame will have to come down on his shoulders.

To make matters worse, Brees’ availability for this weekend is still in doubt. Backup quarterbacks are usually not friendly to fantasy owners with stake in the success of a team’s passing game.

Cooks still has the ability to break out at any moment, but it would be best to at least consider some other options at wide receiver.

NOT: Luke McCown

Sep 13, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) talks with quarterback Luke McCown (7) on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees could not get the Saints offense rolling in the first two weeks, and a shoulder injury could prevent another attempt at it in week three.

With the power potentially down, Luke McCown has a chance to shine and make backup generators quarterbacks around the country proud.

However, given how bad the offense has looked even with Brees in the lineup, it is safe to say you should not have Luke McCown on your fantasy roster.

The Saints offense as a whole has the potential to not just be good, but great. Brees, Ingram, Cooks have shown they can produce big time numbers.

Even guys like Brandon Coleman, CJ Spiller and Khiry Robinson could become fantasy sleepers if the wheels start turning. But the product out on the field right now is not anywhere close to where it could be, especially with Brees not at one hundred percent.

Until they can prove otherwise in the coming weeks, no Saint is a safe start in any fantasy format……….

Next: No Matter Who Plays QB, These Saints Need to SHOW UP Sunday vs. Carolina