New Orleans Saints

Wilson signed a two-year contract with the Saints on March 14 after spending the last two seasons with the Dolphins. His best season was in 2021 with the Cowboys, when he posted 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, all career highs. The Saints have a young receiving corps with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry, and Wilson figures to slide into a complementary role, similar to how he played behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Miami.

Hill was injured early in the second quarter on a five-yard TD run - his second short-yardage touchdown run of the game. Hill, who is a fantasy-relevant for his ability to vulture touchdown runs at the goal line, had had just returned to the Saints' lineup after sitting out their Week 3 loss to Philadelphia with a chest injury sustained in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

Despite a low-scoring affair in Week 3 against the Eagles, Williams had just one carry for minus-one yard and one catch for no gain while Kamara handled nearly the entire workload in that contest. However, with Kamara nursing multiple injuries, Williams should see heavier usage Sunday against an Atlanta defense that has given up 150.3 rushing yards per game this season, which is fifth-worst in the league.

Olave and Wilson are listed as questionable for Sunday's game due to hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. Sigler relays that Wilson's diminishing practice participation over the week makes him less likely to suit up, which would put Tipton as the Saints' No. 3 wideout behind Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Tipton played a season-high 18 snaps on offense in Week 3 against the Eagles and finished with two catches on three targets for 11 yards.

Olave and Wilson are listed as questionable for Sunday's game due to hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively, but Sigler relays that Wilson is less likely to suit up. Moreau has established himself as the Saints' top tight end ahead of Juwan Johnson, and even with Taysom Hill returning from a one-game absence, Moreau's 6-foot-4 frame should give the Falcons' defense some issues, especially in the red zone. Moreau's best outing of the season came in Week 1 against the Panthers, when he caught all four of his passes for 43 yards and one touchdown.

Terrell's ESPN colleague Adam Schefter reports that Olave is considered day-to-day, implying his status for Sunday's contest could come down to a game-time decision. Olave's addition to the injury report didn't come until Friday, and Terrell relays that the wideout may have suffered the injury during the latter part of practice since he was present for the early portion that was open to the media.

Olave leads New Orleans with 12 catches and 178 receiving yards to go along with one touchdown in three games.

Hill sat out Sunday's loss to Philadelphia after sustaining the injury in Week 2 against the Cowboys. The versatile backup quarterback has just 53 rushing yards through two games but is always a threat to vulture short-yardage touchdowns.

Losing the veteran cornerback even for one game would be a tough blow to the Saints' secondary, especially with a matchup against Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb on the horizon. Lattimore has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, missing seven games in 2023 due to an ankle injury and 10 more in 2022 due to a variety of issues, which could cause New Orleans to treat his latest injury more cautiously than it might with another player.

Kamara has two years remaining on his current contract but could be a cut candidate following the 2024 season as his dead cap hit would be only $10.1 million. He participated fully in training camp but skipped an offseason workout to show his desire for an extension. Kamara also recently put a home in suburban New Orleans on the market, but he downplayed the implication that he does not believe he has a long-term future with the Saints.

Brooks points out Rattler made a good impression despite the fact he posted only a 52.6 percent completion rate in the preseason, as the rookie also displayed good composure and command during his time on the field. Jake Haener appears set to begin the season as Derek Carr's primary backup, but Brooks points out Rattler has shown enough to keep the job battle a fluid one heading into the regular season.

Smyth has a big leg, as evidenced by the 65-yard field goal he made in practice Tuesday. The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland also showed he can handle the pressure of kicking in a big moment by hitting the game-winning field goal in the Saints' preseason opener against the Cardinals. After making his way to New Orleans via the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, the former Gaelic football goalkeeper is making quick progress in his new sport.

Grupe has been the presumed favorite to remain the Saints' kicker in 2024 after making 30 of 37 field-goal attempts as a rookie in 2023, but Smyth is apparently hanging around in the competition. Grupe has connected on all three of his field-goal attempts in preseason, but Smyth kicked the game-winning field goal against the Cardinals in the preseason opener and turned heads by hitting a 65-yard field goal in practice Tuesday.

Johnson has been on the PUP list for all of training camp as he recovers from foot surgery. He was spotted running and completing side work in late July, though it sounds as if he could return to more formal practice sessions in the coming days. Johnson's status for Week 1 could still be in jeopardy given his lack of practice time, but the tight end should serve a key role in the Saints' offense when healthy given the lack of proven pass-catching options after Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

The deal has $17.5 million in guaranteed money and rewards Werner, who was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, for an impressive first three NFL seasons. The Ohio State product has started 35 regular-season games in that span and recorded 235 total tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Werner is currently dealing with a shoulder injury that has cost him some training camp practices, but the issue is considered minor overall.

Chris Olave clearly sits atop the Saints' wide receiver depth chart, and he's complemented by Rashid Shaheed. After that duo, there are plenty of questions, as A.T. Perry has reportedly failed to make much of an impact. That's opened the door for some depth options to make an impression, and Tipton has apparently taken advantage by making several splash plays throughout training camp.

Mims spent most of the 2023 season on the Saints' practice squad after going undrafted out of Fresno State, but he dressed for two games with the team. Miller had more pre-draft pedigree as a 2023 third-round draft pick, but he missed nine games due to injuries last year and got hurt again just as the Saints began training camp in 2024. If Miller's injuries continue to limit his availability, Mims could sneak onto the 53-man roster as the third healthy running back behind veterans Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams.

Kamara is likely to see the lion's share of backfield snaps for the Saints, but Williams' power running style makes him an intriguing complement to the quicker, slighter Kamara. Williams scored a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns for the Lions in 2022 before regressing to just 306 yards and one touchdown with the Saints in 2023. Miller was expected to become a meaningful contributor after being drafted in the third round in 2023, but he was limited to eight appearances as a rookie due to injuries and will have a hard time pushing Williams for playing time if he continues to struggle to stay healthy.

Shaheed posted 719 receiving yards and caught five touchdowns in 2023, improving substantially on his rookie receiving totals of 488 yards and two touchdowns from 2022. He's also a key special teams contributor as a return man. Shaheed's 2025 salary will be more than double his career earnings from 2022 through 2024 combined, which suggests the team believes he could take another step forward as a pass catcher to justify that substantial raise.

Carr went on to explain that the timing was off with regards to the meeting, as there were still several more teams he was waiting to hear from at the time. Although head coach Robert Saleh reportedly told Carr the team was very interested in adding him to the roster, the veteran signal-caller ultimately felt he had a better opportunity with the Saints, with which he'd already met with prior to visiting New York.

Haener was firmly entrenched as the Saints' emergency quarterback in 2023, with Carr as the starter and Jameis Winston as the backup, while Taysom Hill also saw the occasional snap under center. With Winston signing with Cleveland in the offseason, Haener and Rattler are battling for the backup quarterback role in New Orleans, and the former seems to have a firm grasp after a strong showing in OTAs and minicamp. Haener credited his comfort during offseason practices to the retooled playbook under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, with the second-year quarterback noting during minicamp in June that the new system has helped him "see things a little clearer."

With Jameis Winston signing with the Browns in the offseason, the Saints signed veteran quarterback Nathan Peterman and selected Rattler in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to compete with Haener for the backup spot behind Carr. Terrell notes that Rattler struggled in OTAs and was picked off several times during drills, but the South Carolina product settled in during minicamp and even saw some time with the second-time offense. Rattler could usurp Haener for the backup spot with a strong performance in training camp and preseason games.

After playing just four snaps as the Bears' third-string quarterback in 2023, Peterman joined New Orleans in the offseason to provide veteran experience behind Derek Carr. In OTAs and minicamp, however, Peterman has taken a back seat in drills to Jake Haener and 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler. Terrell believes that Peterman is likely to be kept around the team as a practice squad quarterback who can fill in as an emergency or backup signal caller in a pinch.

Miller missed seven games in the middle of last season due to an ankle injury, but he returned in Week 18 to post 13 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown with Alvin Kamara sidelined with his own ankle injury. With backup Jamaal Williams averaging just 2.9 yards per carry and scoring his lone touchdown on his final carry of the 2023 regular season, Ciely believes Miller can establish himself as the power back in a timeshare with Kamara in 2024. Miller finished his first season in the league with 273 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 51 touches.

The Saints wasted no time in slotting Fuaga into the starting left tackle spot, a position he's been getting pointers on playing from 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning, who switching over from left to right tackle this year. Meanwhile, Kubiak has been impressed with Fuaga's demeanor and on-field work, noting the rookie has earned his playing time and that Fuaga's aptitude stood out right from the onset.

Johnson's absence throughout training camp and preseason could open up more opportunities for Holker to prove himself as a pass catcher at tight end. Holker went undrafted due to underwhelming physical traits, but the 24-year-old tight end was highly productive for Colorado State in 2023, finishing with 64 catches for 767 yards and six touchdowns.

Kamara's agent Brad Cicala confirmed to NFL Network that the running back's absence was indeed related to his contract, a five-year, $77 million deal he signed in September 2020 that has two seasons remaining. Kamara did attend the first two practices of minicamp and was at Thursday's walk-through session before heading into the team facility ahead of the day's on-field work. Head coach Dennis Allen had no post-practice updates for the media since he had yet to speak to the veteran running back.

Moreau posted a 21-193-1 line across 15 games in a complementary role during his first Saints campaign in 2023, a year he entered off back-to-back 30+ catch seasons with the Raiders. The sixth-year pro could therefore qualify as a serviceable fill-in for Johnson during a short-term period if it's required, although he'd likely be sharing snaps with the likes of the versatile Taysom Hill, among others, if Johnson's absence did indeed linger into the regular season.

Hill is renowned for his seemingly limitless offensive versatility, and tight end is one of several positions he's played in the past. The veteran BYU product, who lined up regularly as a fullback during recent OTAs, would almost certainly split snaps with Foster Moreau, at minimum, if Johnson's injury did linger into the regular season. However, it's worth noting Hill happens to be coming off a season with a career-best 33 receptions and 291 receiving yards in 2023.

Schefter notes the hope is for Johnson to be ready for the Saints' season opener against the Panthers on Sept. 8, but that timetable is still far from certain. Johnson was present during OTAs but not available for the start of New Orleans' minicamp Tuesday, with that absence now explained. If Johnson, who's apparently been bothered by the foot issue for some time according to head coach Dennis Allen, misses any games, Foster Moreau would currently project as the team's top full-time tight end, although jack-of-all-trades veteran Taysom Hill would also be an option.

Young was acquired by the 49ers prior to last season's trade deadline. The No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft tallied 2.5 sacks over nine regular-season games with San Francisco, as Young didn't match up to the production expected of him when paired with Nick Bosa on the defensive line. Young signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Saints in March, and Shook believes that the Ohio State product will need to be healthy and produce at a high level if he wants a big payday in 2025.

Hill most commonly lined up in the slot and as a wildcat quarterback in 2023, though he has yet to attempt a pass during the team's offseason practices. Instead, he's regularly been in the backfield, both as a ball carrier and blocker, which seems to be a new role for him heading into 2024. That's not particularly promising for his production, as Hill posted a career-high 33 receptions and 291 receiving yards in 2023.

Kpassagnon tore his Achilles during the offseason and the team has since ruled him out for training camp. He'll also miss at least some game action, though the team has yet to provide a timeline for his return. Kpassagnon has served as a rotational defensive lineman for New Orleans in each of the last three seasons.

Per the coach, he had a "positive conversation" with the veteran cornerback about two weeks ago, presumably to clear the air regarding rumors Lattimore was being replaced after New Orleans traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round. Lattimore agreed to restructure his contract in January after injuries limited him to 17 games over the last two seasons, including an ankle issue that cost him the final seven games of 2023.

Shaheed was an All-Pro return man on special teams in 2023 and also excelled on deep balls, but Locker believes Kubiak will try to expand the speedster's route tree and utilize Shaheed more over the middle to replace the possession skills of Thomas. Shaheed's target total climbed from 34 as a rookie in 2022 to 75 in 2023, and he's in position to see another bump in 2024 since the Saints lack established alternatives at wide receiver behind Chris Olave.

Left tackle is the most important spot on the offensive line since that covers the blind side for right-handed quarterbacks. Fuaga excelled at right tackle at Oregon State, but the Saints are hoping to get maximum value out of their 2024 first-round draft pick by deploying him at the higher-value left tackle position.

Lattimore has come up in trade rumors throughout the offseason, as the Saints restructured his contract in a way to ensure his roster bonus wouldn't be paid until just before the start of the season -- a move that is sometimes made when teams are seeking to deal a player. In addition, New Orleans traded up in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Kool-Aid McKinstry despite already having other solid corners on the roster in Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo. The Jaguars have been linked to Lattimore both due to need and also because Ryan Nielsen, their current defensive coordinator, was previously an assistant on the Saints' staff and coached the talented corner.

Rattler slid to the 150th overall selected of the 2024 NFL Draft, 138 picks after Bo Nix was taken by the Broncos. There have been competing narratives about why the fall occurred, with some in the media suggesting it was caused by his appearance in the Netflix Show, "QB1: Beyond the Lights," during which he was regularly portrayed negatively. Even after his slide, Rattler landed in a situation that should allow him to compete immediately for the backup role behind Derrick Carr.

Loomis dismissed the chatter during an appearance on Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio with Adam Schein, emphasizing the team was simply trying to stock up on quality corners by snagging McKinstry, who had some first-round pedigree. Lattimore has dealt with numerous injuries over the last two seasons but remains a reliable coverage asset when healthy.

Lemieux appeared in 18 games with the Giants over the past four seasons, logging 12 starts. Most of his playing time came in his rookie season in 2020, when Lemieux had nine starts among his 12 appearances. He ultimately signed a contract with New Orleans after the tryout, and Lemieux could compete for a starting spot, especially if rookie first-round pick Taliese Fuaga is plugged in at tackle rather than guard.

Rattler's fall finally ended after the Saints took him in the fifth round, 150th overall. Rapoport noted that Rattler's demeanor in the Netflix show "did not make him look great," and that teams couldn't ignore that in their evaluation of the young quarterback. Rattler threw for 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his final season at South Carolina, and he will join the Saints' quarterback room of Derek Carr, Nathan Peterman, Kellen Mond and the versatile Taysom Hill.

Wilson signed a two-year contract with the Saints on March 14 after spending the last two seasons with the Dolphins. His best season was in 2021 with the Cowboys, when he posted 45 catches for 602 yards and six touchdowns, all career highs. The Saints have a young receiving corps with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry, and Wilson figures to slide into a complementary role, similar to how he played behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Miami.