New Orleans Saints DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) was listed as a limited practice participant due to rest purposes in the first practice of the week on Thursday. Cooks made his return to the field in the Thanksgiving Day win over the division-rival New York Giants last Thursday for the first time since Week 4 due to a knee infection that required surgery. It was a successful return, as the 31-year-old veteran found the end zone, albeit on three catches for only 16 yards. Dallas is likely just resting Cooks after his first game back last week, meaning he should be active this Sunday to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. The matchup against Cincy is an excellent one, although Cooks will remain a low-upside, touchdown-dependent WR5/flex for fantasy managers, especially with it looking like tight end Jake Ferguson will return from a two-game absence due to a concussion.

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) logged another full practice on Thursday, according to John Hendrix. This is a great sign, as the sophomore running back has been on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury since Week 9. Miller has battled the injury bug all season and has appeared in just two games all season. During this small stint, the TCU product tallied just nine carries but averaged an impressive 5.8 yards per carry. This is a nice increase compared to the 3.8 yards per carry he averaged during his rookie campaign. If Miller can return to action this weekend, fantasy managers should view him as a potential stash candidate, as Alvin Kamara should continue to see the bulk of opportunities in the New Orleans backfield.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (foot) remained a limited participant during Thursday's practice. Johnson sustained this foot injury during last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status on Friday as he may carry an injury designation into the weekend if he cannot upgrade to full participation. With Taysom Hill (knee) out for the season, fantasy managers should expect Johnson and Foster Moreau to see the majority of snaps during the final weeks of the season. Last weekend, Johnson brought in five of his seven targets for 36 yards. Both Johnson and Moreau will likely split opportunities down the stretch, which makes both of them risky options in deeper formats.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) was downgraded to a non-participant during Thursday's practice, according to John Hendrix of Saints News Network. Means was placed on the injured reserve during the first week of November due to a high-ankle sprain. The 23-year-old returned to practice on Wednesdays as a limited participant. However, seeing his status already downgraded is not a positive sign regarding his availability for this weekend. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his status on Friday, as he may be in danger of missing his fifth-straight contest. Before the injury, Means emerged as a starter in the passing attack, with both Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) on the IR. During Weeks 6 through 8, Means brought in an average of 3.0 receptions per game. If Means cannot play on Sunday, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kevin Austin will likely sit at the top of the depth chart.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) was a limited participant in his return to practice. The rookie wideout made his first appearance at practice since injuring his ankle in Week 8's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. It's a step in the right direction for the 23-year-old, who has a chance to be activated from injured reserve if he can enhance his practice status over the next few days. For now, New Orleans will continue to deploy Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kevin Austin Jr., and Cedrick Wilson Jr. as their top three pass-catchers. It's unclear which of those three wideouts will have their playing time cut upon Means' return, though MVS and Austin Jr. project to be the most likely.