For “Diehard” Saints Fans: 4 Storylines to Watch as Season Closes

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) runs with the ball as Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Bradley McDougald (30) attempts to tackle him in the first half against at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy Football Playoffs

If you are one of the nearly 75 MILLION Americans that plays fantasy football, you already know that we are in the thick of the fantasy football playoffs, with the championship round coming next week.

Even if you aren’t still in it, chances are that you know somebody that has some Saints on their fantasy team.

The beautiful thing about fantasy is that any points the Saints put up this week will count just as much as any points teams like the Patriots or the Cowboys put up. Fantasy doesn’t discriminate against non-playoff teams.

It will be interesting to see if the Saints offense can put up some points in a tough match-up against the Arizona Cardinals top-ranked defense. With players like Drew Brees and Mark Ingram coming off back to back disappointing weeks, owners will need a strong performance out of them in the semifinal round.

Nov 27, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) scores past Los Angeles Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines (33) during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Rams 49-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The return of Michael Thomas will also be something to monitor here. He has been the Saints #1 receiver this year, and still leads the team in touchdowns despite missing last week’s contest.

If you want to get personally involved in the stakes, you can always start some Saints in daily fantasy football leagues.

Besides fantasy, there are other more pressing matters to look at as far as the future of the Saints organization goes — like this next one…….