Saints re-sign Jameis Winston, fantasy impact

A day after the New Orleans renegotiated the contract with Taysom Hill, the team also re-signed QB Jameis Winston, per Athletic NBA writer Shams Charania.

Winston spent the 2020 season as the Saints’ backup, getting only 11 pass attempts through the regular season. He completed seven of them for 75 yards, then completed his only attempt in the postseason for a 56-yard touchdown. Prior to joining the Saints, Winston played five years for Tampa, peaking with 5,109 yards and 30 passing touchdowns in 2019.

Winston re-ups with New Orleans

Fantasy slant: Let the games begin. With Drew Brees officially retired, the Saints will open 2021 with a quarterback competition between Winston and Taysom Hill. The last time we saw Winston as a starter, he topped 5,000 passing yards. He also earned the dubious distinction of tossing 30 interceptions in a single season. But opportunity knocks for Winston. Hill got the first crack at potentially replacing Brees last season. While he managed a 3-1 record, his on-field play was lackluster at best. With rumblings suggesting Winston is the leader in the clubhouse for the job, we could see a fantasy renaissance for the former No. 1 overall pick. New Orleans has a solid surrounding cast that features Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, but Winston could really benefit from downfield speed giving his propensity to look vertically. Regardless, a starting job would land Winston in the risk/reward QB2 conversation. — Jeff Ratcliffe