Saints Fantasy Football Week 7 Preview vs. Colts

Heading into week 7, the matchup between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots has been dubbed “the game to watch”. Most viewers will tune in to see two of the top teams in the NFL face off in a critical division matchup.

Based on what we have seen so far this season, it is fair to say that the quality of football in that game will be quite a bit higher than what Saints fans will see when New Orleans visits Indianapolis. From an entertainment and fantasy standpoint, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Back in 2011, #1 ranked LSU and #2 ranked Alabama played one of the best college football games of the season, a game LSU ended up taking 9-6 in overtime. The quality of football was great: two stout defenses stifling drive after drive, trying to give their offense the spark they need to finally make a big play.

The hype leading up to this “clash of the titans” was immense, but to many, the game came far from meeting their expectations. A game with no touchdowns is just not as exciting as a 49-42 shoot out would have been, even if the “quality” of the football being played was lower.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, despite his grotesque out of the ring issues, has made a living systemically wearing down his opponents enough for him to come away with the win. The years of hype leading up to his match against Manny Pacquiao seemed to toss that information by the wayside, and many of the millions of viewers who tuned into the bout were disappointed.

Comments and tweets that claimed Mayweather “did not do anything” the whole fight were anticipating an aggressive, eventful fight that simply did not fit Mayweather’s style.

The 2-4 Saints and the 3-3 Colts have underperformed so far this year. Both teams have abysmal defenses that really have not been able to stop anyone.

If that holds in week seven, this game could turn into one of the biggest shootouts of the season. When thinking about a potential final score for this game, both teams scoring in the thirties or forties is certainly not out of the question.

Fans that tune into the Jets-Patriots game may see some very high quality NFL football being played. However, those who want to see some big plays and a ton of points should definitely be watching when the Saints take the field against the Colts. It will almost certainly be a barn burner.

Not only will the game be exciting, but the fantasy players from both teams should have electric performances all across the board. With that, here are the key Saints to look out for in week 7.

Hot: Drew Brees and his Receiving Corps

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts pass defense is ranked twenty ninth in the league through six weeks. Their secondary’s best weapon is cornerback Vontae Davis, who is a legitimate shutdown talent. The rest of that unit has been playing so poorly that the simply strategy, “Don’t Throw it Near Vontae” has become a staple for opposing offenses, allowing them to open up the field for the rest of their receivers.

Leading receivers for Colts opponents have all raked in at least 79 yards, with Percy Harvin being the only one to manage less than 90 (though he did score a touchdown in that game as well).

Oct 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It has not taken a prolific offense to have this kind of success either. Tom Brady did Tom Brady things last week in Indianapolis, but Tyrod Taylor, Blake Bortles, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer and Marcus Mariota have been able to find similar success. Even if Drew Brees isn’t at one hundred percent, he should be able to match or exceed the production of those quarterbacks.

This bodes well for Saints passing attack as a whole. Davis will likely be covering either Willie Snead or Brandin Cooks on every play, leaving the other one to frolic across the wide open field of Lucas Oil Stadium. There is no guarantee that both guys will put up big numbers, but they will have plenty of opportunities to do so.

The Saints defense is not very good either, and the Colts have plenty of weapons between Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, Donte Montcrief and Frank Gore. The combination of two solid offenses and two poor defenses should result in a high scoring shootout, one that will benefit all fantasy stakeholders involved in the passing game.

Hot: Mark Ingram

Oct 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) carries the ball agianst the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Though the aerial attack should be the main focus for the Saints, Mark Ingram is set to have another nice week.

More from Big Easy Believer

He only managed 46 yards on 20 carries, but two touchdowns turned his week six from a dud to a stud. The Colts are better against the run, but not by much. They rank twenty third in rush defense, so Ingram should have an easier time finding some solid holes to burst through.

When New Orleans acquired C.J. Spiller, Ingram’s fantasy value looked like it had gone down quite a bit. However, Spiller has yet to make a sustained impact for the Saints. He has yet to total more than 7 touches in a game, and has not even been present on every third down like it was assumed he would.

Most of that can be attributed to Ingram’s emergence in the passing game. He has 27 receptions through six games, a solid 4.5 per game. That is only five less catches than Brandin Cooks’ 29! For a back who has never really been considered as a threat in the passing game, that flexibility really does wonders for his value on the field and in fantasy lineups.

Even if the Colts get off to a hot start, Ingram should be able to put up enough points off of sheer volume alone to make him a safe start in your fantasy lineup.

Not: Benjamin Watson

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson (82) is pursued by Atlanta Falcons strong safety William Moore (25) in the third quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The veteran tight end put on a show against the rival Atlanta Falcons last week with 10 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. Seeing Watson emerge as a viable threat is great for the Saints, but expecting a repeat performance at this point is a bit premature.