New Orleans Saints DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

As expected, New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (ribs) is inactive for the Thursday night clash against the Denver Broncos. Hill is dealing with fractured ribs and will miss his third straight game. The 34-year-old veteran do-it-all player was listed as doubtful to play this week. The good news is that Hill was limited in practice all week, so he should have a good shot at returning for the Saints in Week 8 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. With Hill out again, it means more playing time for both Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau, but they'll be TE2 sleeper options, at best, even with receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) out in Week 7. Hill has two rushing touchdowns in three games played in 2024, but it's come on only 16 touches. He's a boom/bust TE2 in fantasy when he's active.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) has officially been ruled out for Thursday night's contest against the visiting Denver Broncos. Carr will miss his second straight game after suffering a left-oblique strain in the Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 33-year-old veteran signal-caller came into this game listed as doubtful, so fantasy managers weren't expecting him to play anyway. We'll have to wait and see if he can return to play in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler will make his second straight start in Week 7 but will be without receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee). Against a tough Broncos defense, expect the Saints to lean heavily on running back Alvin Kamara and the short passing attack. Rattler will be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex fantasy leagues.UPDATE: According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, there's "at least a chance" that Carr will return to practice next week.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) will miss the remainder of the 2024 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Shaheed was placed on the injured reserve earlier on Thursday but now faces a four-to-six-month recovery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. This is a significant loss for the New Orleans passing attack, as Shaheed was enjoying a breakout campaign. Across the first six weeks, Shaheed eclipsed 15.0 PPR points four times and averaged 58.2 yards per game. Fantasy managers should expect Chris Olave to be the top option once he returns from his concussion. On Thursday evening against the Denver Broncos, Bub Means and Mason Tipton will likely operate as the top two pass catchers.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) was placed on the injured reserve on Thursday, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Shaheed is set to undergo meniscus surgery and will now have to miss at least the next four games. However, given the potential extended recovery period due to the operation, the 26-year-old could be sidelined for a longer period. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his progression, as he would be eligible to return during Week 11. Shaheed enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign, scoring at least 15.0 PPR points in four of the six games he played. With Shaheed and Chris Olave (concussion) ruled out on Thursday evening, rookie Bub Means will likely lead the New Orleans passing attack.

New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe made the most of the Week 6 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Grupe had a perfect day, hitting field goals from 29 and 42 yards out and converting all three of his extra point attempts in the 51-27 loss which resulted in his best fantasy score since Week 1. He is 10-for-10 on field goal attempts in 2024 though he has missed two extra points. The Saints open Week 7 with a Thursday night matchup against the Denver Broncos. The game is expected to be a low-scoring affair given Denver's defensive prowess and lack of firepower on offense. As such, Grupe's upside is limited in a game where scoring chances are expected to be few and far between. Grupe has not done enough this season to separate himself from the pack so fantasy managers should have no qualms about streaming another kicker in Week 7.