New Orleans Saints Fantasy Football Minute: Who to start, who to avoid

Fantasy Football Minute: With the New Orleans Saints heading into what might be their most difficult game of the year, which Saints’ fantasy players can you trust and which ones should you avoid at all cost?

In this week’s New Orleans Saints’ Fantasy Football Minute, we will look at which players you can safely start and which ones need avoiding. The San Francisco 49ers have the best front seven in the NFL and the best defense in the NFL.

That means that today is going to be a showdown between two talented teams.

Fantasy Football Minute: Saints to start

Michael Thomas

It is known that the San Francisco 49ers have the best defense, much in part to their front. However, their secondary can be beaten.

Last week Lamar Jackson threw for over 100 and ran for over 100 yards on the best. With the ability of Thomas to break free from his shadow, it should be easy for Drew Brees to hit him for another 10+ reception, 100+ yard game.

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Drew Brees

Brees is another safe start here. Whenever you have a wide receiver that can get open, as well as Michael Thomas, can, Brees should have it easy — as long as he has time. The key to Brees having a “start” kind of day for the fantasy football world is depending on how much time his offensive line gives him in the pocket. If he has the opportunity to get it to Thomas or Cook instead of dumping it off to Kamara, the Saints will be fine.

Alvin Kamara

I know these names should be “always starts,” but Karama will see plenty of check-down options today as, most likely, the 49ers will be quickly getting to Brees in the pocket. Expect Kamara to run for under 40 yards but also catch a surplus of 7 balls out of the backfield for over 50 yards and even a score.

Fantasy Football Minute: Saints to sit

New Orleans Defense

Yes, last week they had a cool over 30 point game against the Atlanta Falcons.

However, last week also saw injuries to our two starting linebackers — Kiko Alonso and A.J. Klein. The linebacker spot is so weak that they had to sign former Saint Manti Te’o. With injuries flourishing on the defensive side of the ball, the defense can not be a safe start today against the 49ers.

Latavius Murray

Alvin Kamara makes his living getting the ball out of Drew Brees’ hands, not making his own.  Murray is the opposite way around.

Murray is more of a tough runner than Kamara. With that being said, today will not be Murray’s day as he is going to run against the best front seven in the NFL who allow the least amount of rushing yards per game this season.

Today’s game should be a good one as the NFC championship hopes will be left out of the for both of the teams. Hopefully, this sit/start segment gave you a little more insight into the Saints week 14 matchup against the Niners.

Here’s to you winning your playoff matchups on the backs of the Saints!