New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints will play without backup quarterback Jameis Winston, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's Week 15 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Taysom Hill, who was expected to slot back into his multifaceted offensive role this week with starter Drew Brees returning from rib and lung injuries, will now serve as the chief backup. He'd started the last four games at QB while Brees was sidelined.

This moves Taysom Hill into Saints’ backup QB role, and they don’t have a third on the active roster. So Hill’s offensive role at other positions could be limited. https://t.co/xP1fsrjnDK

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) December 20, 2020

Winston joined the Saints on a one-year deal with a $1.1 million base salary.

Drafted No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, Winston has had a roller-coaster start to his career. The 26-year-old has thrown for more than 4,000 yards three times, including a league-leading 5,109 yards in 2019.

Inconsistent play and turnover problems have prevented Winston from taking off thus far. He led the NFL with 30 interceptions last year, tied for seventh-most in a season in league history.

The Saints are still in a good spot at the quarterback position with Brees back entrenched as the starter and Hill showing promise after taking over the offense for a month.

The New Orleans Saints placed wide receiver Michael Thomas on injured reserve Saturday with an ankle injury, meaning he will miss the remainder of the regular season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Saints expect Thomas to be "close to 100 percent" for the playoffs, however.

The ankle ailment has lingered for Thomas since he suffered it in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As a result, he missed six games before returning in Week 9.

Per Schefter, Thomas' ankle was unable to heal properly with him going through practices and games, which led to the decision to place him on IR.

Last season, Thomas led the NFL with 149 receptions and 1,725 receiving yards en route to becoming just the second wide receiver in league history to be named Offensive Player of the Year.

He has been far less productive in seven games this season with 40 catches for 438 yards and no touchdowns.

As a result of being placed on IR, Thomas will fall short of the 90-reception and 1,100-yard mark in a season for the first time in his five-year NFL career.

Thomas landing on IR corresponds with the return of quarterback Drew Brees, who missed the past four games with a collapsed lung and multiple broken ribs. Taysom Hill went 3-1 in Brees' place and primarily focused on Thomas as his No. 1 target, as Thomas had two 100-yard games.

With Thomas out for the remainder of the regular season, Brees will be tasked with working other weapons into the offense.

Running back Alvin Kamara, who leads the Saints in receptions and receiving yardage this season, figures to be Brees' top option. Wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Tre'Quan Smith, plus tight end Jared Cook should all have a significant role as well.

The Saints are currently tied with the Green Bay Packers for the best record in the NFC at 10-3, but Green Bay owns the No. 1 seed thanks to a tiebreaker.

New Orleans still has a chance to nab the No. 1 seed and the conference's only first-round bye in the playoffs, but doing so without Thomas could prove difficult, especially against the 12-1 Kansas City Chiefs this week.

At the same time, getting a healthy Thomas back for the playoffs would provide a huge boost and give the Saints some much-needed momentum during the postseason.

New Orleans Saints star Michael Thomas won't play in Sunday's marquee matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Saints announced their All-Pro wide receiver will miss the game with an ankle injury.

The three-time Pro Bowler has had a season to forget. He injured his ankle in New Orleans' Week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and picked up a hamstring injury in October as he neared a return.

Thomas also received a one-game suspension after fighting with teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson and causing minor problems behind the scenes for the team.

The 27-year-old set a single-season record for receptions (149) in 2019, his third straight campaign with 100-plus catches. Thanks to his injuries and short suspension, though, he has 40 receptions for 438 yards in seven games this season.

By now, the Saints have grown accustomed to playing without the Ohio State product, but it's still a significant absence for the offense. On the plus side, quarterback Drew Brees will return for his first start since Week 10.

Fantasy football managers with New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Tre'Quan Smith on their teams are rejoicing, as quarterback Drew Brees is set to return to action Sunday.

Head coach Sean Payton announced Friday Brees will start Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs after doctors cleared him from a collapsed lung and multiple broken ribs, which forced him to miss the past four games.

While the Saints went 3-1 in those games with Taysom Hill under center, there is no question that Kamara and the Saints' pass-catchers were less productive than usual.

Kamara was a must-start player regardless, but with Brees back in the fold, he is poised to return to elite status at a key point in the fantasy football playoffs, while Sanders and Smith could be playable as well.

     

Alvin Kamara

Kamara and the Saints wideouts figure to receive a significant boost provided Brees is fully healthy and uninhibited Sunday, but Kamara is the player who figures to benefit most.

In nine games with Brees as the starter this season, Kamara was the best player in fantasy football. Once Hill stepped in, however, he became fairly ordinary.

Paul Hembekides of ESPN's Get Up provided a breakdown of the difference between Kamara's production with and without Brees:

2020 Alvin Kamara by starting QB:

Drew Brees
7.4 Rec PG
72.0 Rec YPG
9.7 Yds/rec
8.1 Yds/tgt
3.0 Yds/route
4 Rec TD
27.4 PPR fantasy PPG

Taysom Hill
2.5 Rec PG
12.8 Rec YPG
5.1 Yds/rec
3.2 Yds/tgt
0.8 Yds/route
0 Rec TD
14.2 PPR fantasy PPG

Fantasy owners 🗣

— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) December 18, 2020

As pointed out by Hembekides, the biggest change when Hill was under center was the fact that Kamara was essentially a nonfactor as a receiver, whereas he averaged over seven catches and 72 receiving yards per game with Brees.

Brees is the most accurate passer in NFL history, and one of the biggest reasons for that is his willingness to dump the ball off to his running backs when there is nothing open further downfield.

Kamara has been the beneficiary this season and throughout his career, which is why he has been such a huge player in point-per-reception leagues.

Additionally, Kamara finally started to come around last week with seven catches for 44 yards, plus 50 yards and a score on the ground, so he should be primed to continue that positive momentum with Brees back in the lineup.

Fantasy managers should have no issue deploying Kamara this week and expecting RB1-level production in return.

       

Emmanuel Sanders and Tre'Quan Smith

Fantasy managers with Saints No. 1 receiver Michael Thomas on their team were likely thrilled when news of Brees' return broke, but that excitement quickly turned to disappointment.

Thomas did not practice this week due to an ankle injury, and the team has ruled him out for Sunday's game against Kansas City.

As a result, Sanders and Smith will be elevated and serve as the Saints' clear top-two wide receivers in the contest.

Neither Sanders nor Smith has been hugely productive this season, but they have both put up some solid numbers at various points.

In his first season in New Orleans, Sanders ranks second on the team behind Kamara in both receptions (44) and receiving yardage (504). He is also tied with Kamara and Smith for second with four touchdown receptions behind only tight end Jared Cook.

Meanwhile, Smith has registered 33 grabs for 423 yards in addition to the four touchdowns.

Between Sanders and Smith, Sanders was more productive when Brees was starting at quarterback earlier this season.

In seven games with Brees as the starter, Sanders averaged 4.4 catches and 49.6 yards per game, while scoring a total of three touchdowns.

Smith, in nine games with Brees, averaged 2.9 grabs for 33.9 yards and also scored three total touchdowns.

Sanders is the more experienced and reliable player, and he figures to be Brees' top target among wide receivers in the game with Smith settling in as the No. 2.

Because of that, Sanders is likely worth a flex or WR3 start in fantasy, while Smith is a bigger risk in either of those roles.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will reportedly return from rib and lung injuries to start Sunday's Week 15 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday that Brees has received medical clearance to play following a four-game absence and that the Saints believe he's "fully healthy."

The two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year was injured during New Orleans' Week 10 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Jameis Winston replaced him in that contest, but the team pivoted to Taysom Hill as its starter for the past four games.

Hill, who's been used as a multifaceted playmaker over the past three years, brought a different element to the offense. His performance lent hope he's on track to take over as the franchise's next QB whenever Brees retires.

The 30-year-old BYU quarterback completed 82 of his 114 throws (71.9 percent) of his throws over the past four games with four touchdowns and two interceptions. The 6'2", 221-pounder added 209 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.

Although he played well, there was never a doubt Brees would regain control of the offense once he returned to full strength.

The Texas native posted a 110.0 passer rating with 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions in nine appearances before the injuries.

The 41-year-old explained on Cox Sports Television (via ESPN's Mike Triplett) after last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles he was making progress but didn't want to return too early.

"Each week I feel better," he said. "I obviously have a plan in place as to the benchmarks that I need to hit in order to get to where I know that I can play and play effectively for this team. And all I can say is I'm close. There's a recovery element, there's a strength element. And I'll know when that time comes."

The Saints (10-3) have already clinched a playoff berth but they're still in a hotly contested battle with the Green Bay Packers (10-3), Los Angeles Rams (9-4) and Seattle Seahawks (9-4) for the top seed in the NFC, which is the only spot that receives a bye in this season's seven-team conference playoffs.

It's also possible Sunday's clash with the Chiefs could be a Super Bowl LV preview. Kansas City, the NFL's reigning champion, sits atop the AFC with a 12-1 record.

Taysom Hill can become a special NFL quarterback, as he's shown flashes with his arm and legs in and out of the pocket. But despite leading the New Orleans Saints to a 3-1 record as a starter, he hasn't quite solidified a future with the franchise because of holes in his game and competition behind him.

Hill has only started four games as the primary signal-caller, so yes, he needs time to develop and clean up some areas. Yet his audition window has reportedly closed, as the Saints plan to start Drew Brees Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Brees suffered a punctured lung and broke several ribs, and he's now missed at least four contests in consecutive campaigns. After the 2019 season, the 41-year-old took an extended period of time before making a decision to play another season. With those factors in mind, the Saints must think about their long-term plan at quarterback, which shines a bright light on Hill.

Following Week 14, head coach Sean Payton didn't seem ready to turn the offense over to Hill long term just yet.

During a discussion with NFL Network's Jim Trotter for his Huddle and Flow podcast, Payton shed some light on the quarterback situation:

https://twitter.com/JimTrotter_NFL/status/1338900301932232704

Not only does Payton expect Brees to retire in the offseason, but he also left the door open for competition between Hill and Jameis Winston, which raises some eyebrows because of the team's offseason moves.

In April, the Saints signed Winston to a one-year, $1.1 million contract and gave Hill $16 million in guarantees on an extension to keep him on the books through the 2021 campaign. Even though the former took over for Brees in the second half of a Week 10 contest with the San Francisco 49ers, the latter ascended to the starting role.

Clearly, the Saints wanted to provide Hill with an opportunity to show he's the long-term answer post-Brees. Yet based on Payton's comments to Trotter, Hill hasn't cemented his name atop future depth charts. In fact, New Orleans will consider re-signing Winston for a potential training camp battle.

Last week, Payton reiterated that the team has an in-house heir to Brees, per Katherine Terrell of The Athletic.

"I've said this already a few times, we feel like Drew's replacement is in the building," Payton said.

His assessment may pan out, but he didn't attach a name to his projection.

The Saints should look at the future of the position in a fluid manner, because although Hill was good enough to lead his squad to victory in three games against sub-.500 opponents, his play leaves much to be desired. Coming off a 24-21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Payton provided fair praise and criticism of the quarterback play on Trotter's podcast:

"…his pocket passing I think has improved, and it's good to see his velocity, some of his decisions," Payton said. "I think it still needs to happen quicker. I still think he has to process it quicker. And because of that, you're seeing a little bit more in the sack and hurry quarterback totals, even though he can run."

In four starts, Hill has taken 13 sacks and lost three of his six fumbles. To an extent, Payton placed that on his inability to make snap decisions in the pocket.

Payton also voiced concern about Hill's instincts in the pocket, per ESPN's Mike Triplett: "I mean, there's a clock in your head relative to the down and distance. And typically on your normal early downs, you get a feel pretty soon of when your time's up and you're going or when you're staying with the read."

Hill called the balance between his inclination to run and taking a shot downfield "a work in progress."

No one expects him to step in for Brees and look like a refined passer in a handful of games, but his shortcomings could lead him to the bench. Because of those areas of weakness, the offensive linemen must hold their blocks a little longer, passing windows close downfield and the Saints leave yards and points on the field.

Hill didn't throw a touchdown pass in his first two starts but scored four rushing touchdowns, though he's thrown for a pair of scores in each of the last two games.

The Saints list in the bottom half of the league for projected 2021 cap space, per Spotrac, so they'd likely look toward the draft rather than free agency for outside competition. On the back end of the first round, Florida's Kyle Trask or Alabama's Mac Jones could become options to join Hill and Winston in a full-blown battle.

Regardless, Payton isn't completely sold on Hill. As a 30-year-old who's going to make mistakes because of inexperience, he's probably not going to shore up a prospective starting position in a handful of games anyway.

Winston, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 class, has the draft pedigree and five years of starting experience to intrigue the Saints' front office. Furthermore, he's four years younger than Hill.

While Hill has been a solid backup, Winston lurks as a potential wild-card challenger for the first-string role. Once the season ends, Payton and the front office will probably have critical quarterback questions to answer for 2021 and beyond.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton isn't ready to rule out Drew Brees for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Payton said the team will decide on Brees' status based on how he progresses throughout the week:

"It's pretty simple. It's just functionality, strength, throwing without soreness. I mean, there's a process, and last week with the trainers he had one throwing day, then yesterday the same way. So it's really [whether Brees is] asymptomatic, feeling good, strong and like he can function and be an asset and play well. ... I think everyone's monitoring. Pay attention to it all. We'll just see how this week goes."

Brees has been out of action since suffering 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. Brees believes three of the fractures occurred during a Week 9 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the other eight and his collapsed lung happened when he was tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kentavius Street in the second quarter of the Saints' 27-13 win on Nov. 15. 

The Saints announced on Tuesday they designated Brees to return to practice, but he was still on the reserve/injured list. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, New Orleans is "in no rush" to bring Brees back and "there's still no timetable" for him to return. 

Even though a marquee game against the Chiefs awaits, the Saints are in a good spot to ensure that Brees can get close to full strength before putting him back on the field. They can clinch the NFC South on Sunday with a win or if the Bucs lose to the Atlanta Falcons. 

Brees leads the NFL with a 73.5 completion percentage and threw for 2,196 yards with 18 touchdowns in nine games prior to the injury. 

New Orleans has gone 3-1 with Taysom Hill as its starting quarterback. The 30-year-old has thrown for 920 yards with four touchdowns and a 72.3 completion percentage.

The New Orleans Saints have designated quarterback Drew Brees to return to practice, according to NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill.

After suffering multiple broken ribs and a collapsed lung in Weeks 9 and 10, the veteran was placed on injured reserve, which led to Taysom Hill making four starts in his place since then.

New Orleans coach Sean Payton declined to offer a projected timeline for Brees to return to game action on Wednesday, noting the signal-caller has "a ways to go still," per ESPN's Mike Triplett:

"We haven't ruled anything just because we don't have to. He's got a ways to go still, and he's someone we're not gonna just hurry back and just put him in the game.

"I think the significance of the injuries are such that you've gotta make sure he can function and feel confident."

In nine games this season, the 41-year-old has thrown for 2,196 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Brees is unquestionably among the best quarterbacks in NFL history, as he ranks first in career passing yards and second in career passing touchdowns behind only Tom Brady.

Since joining the Saints in 2006 after beginning his career with the then-San Diego Chargers, he has been an absolute force. Overall, he is a 13-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro, and he also led the Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV and was named MVP for the game.

While Hill brings a different element to the table with his running ability and had some previous success in place of Brees, there is no question the Saints have a far more dangerous and potent offense when the veteran signal-caller is under center.

Thanks to his ability as a passer, Brees makes running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Michael Thomas much more difficult for opposing defenses to handle.

He also tends to take better care of the rock than Hill, who has a penchant for getting sloppy with his ball security and has racked up six fumbles in his four previous starts.

The Saints suffered their third defeat of the season in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Having Brees healthy would be an obvious boost for what promises to be a difficult encounter against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will not be rushed back for Week 15's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Saints are "in no rush" to bring Brees back from his fractured ribs and punctured lung. The team reportedly wants him fully healthy before he returns. 

For the second successive season, the Saints have had to soldier on without their regular starting signal-caller for a stretch of games. The 41-year-old exited their 27-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 15, with ESPN's Ed Werder later reporting he had suffered 11 rib fractures.

Head coach Sean Payton sprung a surprise in Week 11 when Taysom Hill started under center ahead of Jameis Winston. Hill has remained the No. 1 option in Brees' absence, throwing for 629 yards, two touchdowns and one interception so far.

The former BYU star had success against the Atlanta Falcons, but his line in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos (9-of-16 for 78 yards and one interception) provided a more critical assessment of his suitability for the role.

Brees' importance to the Saints offense goes without saying. As well as Hill has performed at times, getting the veteran healthy is paramount for New Orleans with the playoffs rapidly approaching.