Team Profile
New Orleans Saints
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-4.1% 20thOff DVOA
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1.1% 23rdPassing DVOA
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-1% 11thRushing DVOA
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4.8% 23rdDef DVOA
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1.7% 13thDef Passing DVOA
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9.5% 32ndDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For23.8 13th
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Points Against23.6 20th
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Yards Per Game347.0 11th
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Yards Allowed Per Game391.0 31st
The New Orleans Saints restructured tight end Taysom Hill's contract on Thursday, converting his base salary for 2024 to free up some salary cap room. Hill's cap number went from $15.7 million to $6.8 million with the move. The 33-year-old continues to be listed as a tight end for fantasy purposes, but he's apparently being involved more as a running back/fullback in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme during offseason workouts. Juwan Johnson's foot injury will also open up more pass-catching opportunities for Hill in training camp this summer as a traditional tight end. Most of Hill's production in 2023 came as a quarterback in wild-cat formations for the Saints. His versatile skill set makes him intriguing as a TE2 in fantasy, but it has been nearly impossible to predict how the Saints will use him on a weekly basis.
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara skipped the team's final mandatory minicamp practice this week due to contract-related reasons, according to his agent, Brad Cicala. Kamara was in attendance for minicamp but didn't take part in on-field workouts as he seeks a new contract. The 28-year-old veteran has two years left on his current deal, and not much progress has been made on a new contract. The former third-round selection in 2017 was a Pro Bowler in each of his first five seasons in the league and has surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards in all seven of his campaigns for the Saints. However, Kamara has never been a 1,000-yard rusher and had a career-low 694 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 13 games in 2023. Kamara is more attractive in PPR leagues for his pass-catching prowess. Keep in mind that he's averaged 4.0 yards per carry or less in the last three seasons.
New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) is scheduled to undergo foot surgery next week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Johnson suffered the injury during Wednesday's minicamp practice and is expected to miss a significant chunk of time. However, the team is hopeful he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. In Johnson's first year with Derek Carr, he caught 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. He's been a fantasy football sleeper for the last few years and will remain one in 2024, so long as he can recover and get back to action. In his absence, Foster Moreau will likely handle TE1 duties, though Taysom Hill could see more work at that spot for the remainder of the offseason.
New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (leg) suffered a lower-leg injury and is expected to miss a good amount of time, according to sources. While it's unclear if Johnson is now a candidate to miss the start of the 2024 regular season, at the very least he's going to miss the start of training camp next month and valuable repetitions as the team looks to get ready for next season. The 27-year-old's injury will open up more reps for the likes of Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, rookie Dallin Holker, Michael Jacobson and Tommy Hudson this summer. Johnson took a step back in 2023 and finished with 37 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts) in his fourth year in the NFL. Even if Johnson is ready for Week 1 of the regular season, Hill will probably cut into his targets enough to keep him as a low-upside, touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (shoulder) is wearing a non-contact jersey at summer practices due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the weight room a few weeks ago. However, head coach Dennis Allen said the former first-round pick has been going through full practices anyway, so this minor ailment shouldn't cause much concern. The 23-year-old has been fantastic through his first two NFL seasons, securing 159 of his 257 targets for 2,165 yards and nine touchdowns in 31 games. While Derek Carr isn't viewed as a high-level quarterback, he's been good enough to support fantasy WR1s throughout his career. New Orleans failed to add significant target competition this offseason, meaning Olave remains a WR1 candidate in his third NFL campaign.