New Orleans Saints DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The New Orleans Saints have been rocked by injuries over the last several weeks. Wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion), Rashid Shaheed (knee), and Bub Means (ankle) are all on injured reserve, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) has missed two of the team's last three games and has a questionable tag for Sunday. With so many pass catchers ailing, one would expect that it would provide others ample opportunity for a bump in production. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for tight end Juwan Johnson. Over the last three weeks he has seven catches for 111 yards on nine targets. His last trip to the end zone came in Week 1 and his odds to change that against the Browns on Sunday are slim. In 2024, Cleveland has allowed just one touchdown to opposing tight ends and the third-fewest receptions to the position. Johnson can stay on the wire in Week 11.

Injuries to the New Orleans Saints wide receiver room cleared a path up the depth chart for rookie Mason Tipton. With Chris Olave (concussion), Rashid Shaheed (knee), and Bub Means (ankle) on injured reserve, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) out for Week 10, there seemed to be ample opportunity for Tipton to soak up some targets. Sadly, that wasn't the case as Tipton did not draw a single target in last week's game against the Falcons. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the main beneficiary of the Saints' lack of receiving talent, catching three balls for 109 yards and two scores against Atlanta, while running back Alvin Kamara was the preferred option on short routes. In Week 11, MVS can be expected to remain the team's deep option and if Wilson shakes his questionable tag, Tipton will have a hard time commanding targets against him or Kamara. He can safely be left on the waiver wire.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is in line for another week of heavy usage in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns. As injuries have chipped away at the Saints' depth at both wide receiver and running back, the team's reliance on Kamara has only grown stronger. Over the last three weeks he has been targeted on 41.9% of routes run and has 18.7 carries per game, compared to 25.3% and 15.9 over the first seven weeks of the season. The Browns have allowed the fewest receptions to opposing running backs this season but, given the lack of other options, the Saints will try to extend Kamara's streak of at least five receptions which goes back to Week 4. Kamara has not made it into the end zone since Week 6 but that could change against the Browns, who have allowed nine touchdowns on the ground in 2024, including three in the two games prior to their Week 10 bye. As usual, Kamara is a must-start in Week 11.

In his second game back following a multi-week absence due to an oblique injury, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr passed for a season high 269 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. Carr found success going deep, hitting wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for gains of 40 yards (and a touchdown) and 67 yards. The duo also connected for a two-yard touchdown pass. The performance was reminiscent of Carr's work earlier this season with deep threat Rashid Shaheed (knee). In Week 11, Carr is going against the Cleveland Browns, who have struggled against the deep ball in 2024, allowing the fifth-most receptions of 20 air yards or more. It is hard to trust Carr as a starter in standard leagues but he should be a solid option in two-quarterback or superflex formats.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) was limited in practice all week and is considered questionable to suit up on Sunday to face the visiting Cleveland Browns in Week 11. Wilson hasn't really been on the fantasy radar at all this year. The 28-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in the Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers and did not suit up in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. Wilson could be a true game-time decision, but it shouldn't matter much to fantasy managers, even with top wideout Chris Olave (concussion) on Injured Reserve. The former sixth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 out of Boise State has only 11 receptions (14 targets) for 122 yards and one score in eight games in 2024. If he's active, Wilson is likely to start in three-wide sets with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie Mason Tipton.