New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough→ his ranking

Shough hits one of my recurring concerns with quarterback prospects: his age. He turned 26 on September 28 last season, which makes him a risky long-term investment for an NFL team hoping to develop a franchise quarterback. His college timeline reflects that. He was redshirted in 2018 without appearing in a game, played two seasons at Oregon, totaling 12 games, then battled a string of injuries at Texas Tech over the following three years, including a broken collarbone, a shoulder injury, and a broken leg.

Everything came together in 2024 at Louisville, where Shough made 12 starts and set career highs across the board. He led the team to an 8-4 record while throwing for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. His completion rate (62.7%) leaves something to be desired, but Shough averaged a strong 8.2 yards per attempt. Pressure was minimal in his college career (sacked 49 times across 42 career games, including 14 times in 2024). As a runner, he's contributed 733 yards and 11 touchdowns on 246 career carries.

Part of what fueled his breakout season was being older and more experienced than the competition. He has an NFL-caliber arm and shows a good feel for diagnosing defenses, but his effectiveness drops noticeably against pressure. He also tends to rush his throws and force the ball into tight windows when the pocket starts to collapse.

Despite these concerns, New Orleans used an early second-round pick on Shough in the 2025 draft.

In his first NFL season, the Saints gave Shough nine starts (5-4), in which he exceeded my expectations. His completion rate (67.6%) graded as a plus while minimizing the damage in interceptions (6). He played well in Week 10 (282/2) while showing a higher passing stride across his final four games (272/1, 308/1, 333/2, and 259/1), resulting in 23.18 fantasy points per game and 313 combined yards per start. Shough was under duress on 19.6% of his passes, with 31 leading to sacks (8.7%). He also offered a reasonable floor in the run game (45/186/3).

Spencer Rattler→ his ranking

Rattler's college journey began at Oklahoma in 2019, with his standout season coming in 2020 when he threw for 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns against seven interceptions, while adding 160 rushing yards and six more scores on 81 attempts. After a shaky start to the 2021 season (six games), Caleb Williams took over as the starter, prompting Rattler to transfer to South Carolina for 2022.

Over his two seasons there, Rattler completed 67.5% of 798 attempts for 6,212 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions, but his rushing production dropped off considerably (150 yards on 170 carries, seven touchdowns). New Orleans took a chance on him in the fifth round of the 2024 draft.

The Saints handed him six starts in 2024, and the results were disappointing (a 0-6 record with averages of 197 passing yards, three touchdowns, and five interceptions per game). His 57.0% completion rate was a major red flag, while adding some value on the ground (18 carries for 146 yards).

Rattler continued on his losing way last season (1-7) despite a progression in his completion rate (67.7%). He failed to pass for over 235 yards in any matchup, with some value in the run game (31/167).

Travis Etienne→ his ranking

Through the first five weeks of 2022, James Robinson actually out-snapped Etienne, 175 to 159, and found the end zone five times during that stretch while Etienne went scoreless until his seventh game. Etienne then strung together three strong outings from Week 7 to Week 9 (14/114/1, 24/156/1, and 28/109/2), but his receiving work was minimal over that span — just six catches for 51 yards combined.

After a brief, ineffective Week 12 (two yards on three carries across five snaps), Jacksonville scaled back his role significantly, feeding him just 16.75 touches per game over his final eight outings (postseason included), which produced 712 combined yards, two touchdowns, and 17 receptions. Etienne still finished the year 17th among running backs in PPR scoring (208.10 points), but he wasn't much of a factor when the season mattered most.

The Jaguars handed him a much bigger workload in 2023 (325 total touches, resulting in 1,484 combined yards, 12 touchdowns, and 58 catches), good for the third-most fantasy points among running backs that year. The catch: his efficiency dropped to just 3.8 yards per carry, a full 1.3 yards lower than the year before. He topped 100 rushing yards in only two games (26/136/2 and 16/102/2) and was held under 60 yards on the ground in 12 separate contests, despite playing 73.4% of Jacksonville's offensive snaps.

2024 offered even less explosiveness, with his yards per carry (3.7) and yards per catch (6.5) both showing further erosion. Etienne opened the year with 57 touches over the first four games, good for 264 combined yards, two scores, and 10 receptions (12.05 fantasy points per game). After a modest Week 6 (60 yards, six catches), a hamstring injury forced him out and sidelined him for two more weeks.

From that point forward, Etienne never found the end zone again, going scoreless over his final 13 games, and his final nine games in particular were brutal, totaling just 94 carries for 328 yards and 23 catches for 163 yards.

Etienne proved to be a great value at running back in 2025, leading to him finishing 10th in PPR scoring (253.90). The Jaguars gave him 296 touches, highlighted by a career-high in touchdowns (13) with 1,399 combined yards and 36 catches. His best four fantasy days (20.60, 21.60, 31.50, and 22.60) came over his last eight starts. Etienne rushed for over 100 yards in only two matchups (16/143 and 19/124/1). Jacksonville gave him 20 touches or more in only four games.

Alvin Kamara→ his ranking

A rib injury early in 2022 cost Kamara two games, but over his 15 starts that season, he still produced 1,387 combined yards, albeit with a career-low four touchdowns and 57 receptions. New Orleans gave him 280 total touches (18.7 per game), but his rushing efficiency suffered (4.0 yards per carry). Kamara cracked the 100-yard rushing mark twice (23/103 and 23/107), but his receiving role faded badly down the stretch. Kamara’s final five games produced just 2/11, 2/13, 2/34, 1/7, and 1/3 in the passing game. The lone bright spot late was a 158-combined-yard, two-touchdown, nine-catch performance.

A league suspension kept Kamara out for the start of 2023. Once he returned to the lineup, the Saints immediately leaned on him, giving him 24 touches in his first game back, including 13 catches for 33 yards. Over a five-game stretch from Week 4 through Week 8, Kamara caught fire, totaling 548 combined yards, three touchdowns, and 39 receptions, a robust 22.36 PPR points per game.

That said, his per-touch numbers told a different story, with just 3.7 yards per carry and 5.8 yards per catch. New Orleans then dialed back his workload over the next eight games (94 carries for 374 yards and three touchdowns, plus 36 catches for 238 yards, good for 14.40 fantasy points per game). An ankle injury knocked him out of Week 18. Notably, none of his 180 rushing attempts that season gained 20-plus yards, and Kamara was on the field for 69.0% of New Orleans' offensive snaps.

At age 29, Kamara rebounded in a big way in 2024, even with a groin injury costing him the final three weeks of the season. He racked up 1,493 combined yards, eight touchdowns, and 68 catches across 296 total touches and produced 10 plays of 20-plus yards, seven of which came through the air.

Kamara topped 100 rushing yards in three separate games (20/115/3, 29/155, and 23/112), with his signature fantasy performance arriving in Week 2 (44.00 PPR fantasy points). He cleared the 20-point threshold twice more (24.90 and 27.50), and across his starts overall, Kamara never dipped below a 12.60-point floor in 13 outings.

Last year, Kamara missed the final six games with a sprained right knee that didn’t require surgery. He comes off his worst NFL season (131/471/1 – 3.6 yards per carry with 33 catches for 186 yards). His best fantasy stats came in five games (13.70, 17.00, 11.20, 12.60, 14.50).

Devin Neal→ his ranking

Neal put together three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Kansas, with a fairly consistent receiving role to match each year (21/183/1, 25/217/1, and 24/254/1). Across his college career, he amassed 5,054 combined yards, 53 touchdowns, and 77 catches on 837 total touches, with his scoring peaking in both 2023 and 2024 at 16 touchdowns apiece. Neal topped the 100-yard rushing mark 15 times over his final two seasons, and twice in his career he broke the 200-yard barrier (32/224/1 and 37/207/3).

The Saints' young running back projects as more of a steady, dependable contributor than a home-run threat at the next level, especially given his modest 4.58 40-yard dash at the Combine. He reads blocking schemes well and has a good sense for finding running lanes as they open. His game leans more on power than elusiveness, which should make him useful in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He'll offer some value as a receiver out of the backfield, but his pass-blocking still needs work.

In his rookie season, New Orleans gave Neal 74 touches, leading to 310 combined yards and two touchdowns. He gained only 3.6 yards per carry and 6.1 yards per catch. His only game of value came in Week 14 (19/70/1 with one catch for 14 yards). Neal missed the final three games with a hamstring issue, while being inactive four times early in the year.

Chris Olave→ his ranking

Olave wrapped up his rookie campaign with 72 receptions for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns on 119 targets, but his 60.5% catch rate fell short of his college career. Injuries (a concussion and a hamstring issue) cost him two games. He topped 100 receiving yards three times (9/147, 7/106, and 5/102/1), and notably, every one of his touchdowns came in home games. He finished the season ranked 18th among fantasy receivers in PPR scoring (200.20 points).

In 2023, Olave played in 16 games, missing only Week 15 due to an ankle injury, and improved across the board from his rookie year (87 catches, 1,123 receiving yards, five touchdowns, and 138 targets), which pushed him up to 17th at the position in fantasy points (231.30). His catch rate ticked up slightly to 63.0%, but his average depth of target shrank, as reflected in his 12.9 yards per catch.

He opened the year strong with three productive games (8/112, 6/86, and 8/104), each featuring double-digit targets (10, 11, and 11). Things cooled off when Derek Carr struggled to connect with him in Week 4 (1/4) and Week 5 (2/12/1). Over the next seven weeks, Olave settled into a groove, totaling 43 catches for 572 yards and two scores on 68 targets, anchored by a strong three-game run (6/94/1, 7/114, and 5/119). A late-season ankle injury then limited him to three quiet outings (4/28/1, 3/26, and 3/56/1) before breaking out of that slump with a strong Week 16 (9/123 on 13 targets).

2024 was a tough one for fantasy managers banking on Olave. He hit expectations in four games (4/81, 6/86/1, 8/87, and 8/107), but injuries forced two early exits (1/5 and 1/13), while being held nearly silent in Week 1 (2/11) and Week 5 (2/10). A pair of concussions ultimately cost him nine games on the year.

Olave came into 2025 with an injury risk profile and questionable talent at the quarterback position. He shook those concerns by missing only Week 18 with an illness. The Saints looked his way 155 times, resulting in career highs in catches (100), receiving yards (1,163), and touchdowns (9).

His success led him to climb to sixth in PPR scoring (269.30) while posting difference-maker games from Week 15 to Week 17 (6/85/1, 10/148/2, and 8/119/1). Olave opened the year with at least 10.00 fantasy points in 11 of his first 12 starts, giving him an excellent consistency factor. His other two winning outcomes came in Week 7 (5/98/2) and Week 10 (5/104/1).

Jordyn Tyson→ his ranking

Tyson broke out in 2024, posting 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns over 12 games, but a hamstring injury cost him four starts last season. He finished 2025 with 61 receptions, 711 yards, and eight touchdowns across nine matchups, but his per-catch average dipped to 11.7 yards, down from 14.7 the year before. He closed out 2024 on an absolute heater over his final three games (12/176/2, 9/125, and 8/143/1), a level of production he flashed three times early in 2025 (12/141/2, 8/126/2, and 10/105/10).

At 6'2" and 205 pounds, Tyson has the frame to win contested catches and reel in off-target throws even with a defender draped on him. He's effective at creating initial separation thanks to quick hesitation moves and a strong first step. While Tyson has the look of a polished route runner, his success comes more often against zone coverage or on plays where he gets a clean release. Tyson doesn't profile as a true burner who consistently wins one-on-one downfield against man coverage. I expect him to hold up reasonably well against press coverage at the line.

His injury history is the real concern; a torn ACL, a collarbone injury, and now a hamstring issue make him a tougher evaluation for NFL teams. Given that risk, I wouldn't view him as a first-round talent, even though his on-field flashes are undeniably exciting.

Devaughn Vele→ his ranking

Vele's college production was unremarkable across three seasons at Utah State and Colorado State (23/389/1, 55/695/5, and 43/93/3 over 37 games), and combined with him entering his rookie year at age 26, he was an easy player to overlook. Denver took a flier on him in the seventh round of the 2024 draft.

He opened his rookie season with a perfect outing in Week 1, hauling in all eight of his targets for 39 yards, but a rib injury sidelined him for the next four games, and Vele was a healthy inactive for three others. Over his final 12 games, he turned in flex-worthy fantasy value six times (4/78, 4/39/1, 4/66, 6/80, 2/21/1, and 4/50/1), and Vele held down WR2-level snap counts in 10 of those contests. His size advantage (6’4” and 210 lbs.) helps his scoring in the red zone, and he should be better equipped to assist in blocking.

The Saints acquired Vele last August and gave him low WR2 snaps (39.9%) while having over 85% of their snaps across four games from Week 10 to Week 14. He battled a hip issue in September, missing three games to end the year due to a shoulder issue. Vele finished with 25 catches for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 40 targets, but delivered only two playable games (8/93/1 and 5/69).

Bryce Lance→ his ranking

Over his final two seasons at North Dakota State, Lance gained over 1,000 yards each year (75/1,071/17 and 51/1,079/8). He comes to the NFL at 6’3” and 205 lbs. with elite speed (4.34 40-yard dash). His release and short-area separation won’t create early advantages in his route running. Lance brings an edge to the deep passing game with a good feel for creating open catch windows. He is the younger brother of Trey Lance.

Juwan Johnson→ his ranking

Over his first two NFL seasons, Johnson managed just 17 career catches for 198 yards and four touchdowns on 31 targets. He arrived in New Orleans from Oregon with a classic big-bodied receiver build at 6'4" and 230 pounds, but his college numbers were modest as well (111 catches for 1,590 yards and six touchdowns on 179 targets) across four seasons.

His breakout came in 2022, when the Saints gave him eight starts, and Johnson responded with career-best numbers: 42 catches, 508 yards, and seven touchdowns on 65 targets. Over a seven-game stretch from Week 7 through Week 15, he delivered fantasy value in five of those outings (5/32/2, 2/42/1, 5/44/1, 3/47/1, and 4/67/2). An ankle injury cut his Week 12 short after just six snaps, costing him the following game as well. For the season, Johnson played 64.6% of New Orleans' offensive snaps.

A calf injury cost him four games in 2023, and his production cratered to start the year (20 catches for 152 yards and one touchdown on 35 targets through his first nine games). Johnson picked things back up late, producing from Week 15 through Week 17 (2/38/1, 4/48/1, and 8/90/1). New Orleans split tight end work four ways, with Johnson (52.7%), Foster Moreau (52.1%), Taysom Hill (40.3%), and Jimmy Graham (16.2%), all seeing time.

Foot surgery in mid-June of 2024 wiped out most of his offseason, and Johnson opened that year in a reduced, backup role over the first three games (2/26/1, 0/0, and 0/0). He didn't become fantasy-relevant again until Week 11 (3/30/1), after which he caught fire down the stretch, totaling 25 catches for 271 yards and a touchdown on 34 targets over his final six starts, with three standout performances along the way (4/50/1, 6/66, and 6/80).

Johnson comes off his best season in catches (77), receiving yards (889), and targets (103). He scored over 10.00 fantasy points in 10 of his 17 starts, leading to him ranking eighth in PPR scoring (181.90). New Orleans had Johnson on the field for 77.6% of their plays.

Oscar Delp

Over his final three seasons at Georgia, Delp had a minimal receiving role for the Bulldogs, with about the same outcome each year (24/284/3, 21/248/4, 20/261/1). He had more than two catches eight times over his 55 career games in college.

His pass-catching ceiling should be higher than his results on the field in Georgia. Delp runs with rhythm and short area quick while offering a second gear to win at the second level of defense. His hands grade well, along with a solid foundation in his blocking skills for the NFL. He does need to get stronger to survive the rigors of the trenches at the line of scrimmage. Delp has a limited catch range, and his ability to win in tight quarters is in question.

Charlie Smyth

New Orleans handed Smyth their kicking job in Week 13 last year. He had success from 50 yards or more (4-for-6) while making all 13 of his extra points. His made field goal percentage (75%) wasn’t high enough to command 17 starts for the Saints this year. Smyth is a former soccer player from Ireland who signed a three-year contract last year.