New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Spread: Buccaneers -11

O/U: 45

Weather: 67 degrees, wind 6mph NW

Notable Injuries:

New Orleans Saints

Ryan Ramczyk-  Out

Terron Armstead - Out

Kaden Ellis - Questionable

Lil' Jordan Humphrey - Questionable

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Leonard Fournette - Questionable

Antoine Winfield - Questionable

Jordan Whitehead - Questionable

Richard Sherman -Doubtful

DVOA Defensive Rankings

Saints

vs Pass: 11th 

vs Run: 1st

Buccaneers

vs Pass: 5th 

vs Run: 17th 

**Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.

MVP/CPT

Tom Brady, QB - Brady at home this season has 22 passing touchdowns over six games while averaging 30.7 fantasy points. The way to attack the Saints defense is through the air and that was on display a few weeks back in a game that Tampa Bay lost but Brady still lit them up for 375 yards and four touchdowns. He is the top priced guy on the slate but it's for good reason as he is the G.O.A.T.

Taysom Hill, QB - Hill may not be the best passer but you aren't playing him because you expect him to sling the rock but rather you play him for his rushing upside. He had 73 yards and two rushing scores last week against the Jets and the week before that when the Saints faced the Cowboys he had 101 yards rushing to go with 264 yards passing. He also had two touchdowns and four interceptions in that game against Dallas and yet finished with 27.66 fantasy points. 

Chris Godwin, WR - Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore are going to have their epic battles which leaves Godwin with the more favorable matchup. He had eight catches for 140 yards and a touchdown against the Saints in their first meeting and I expect more of the same here tonight.

Alvin Kamara, RB - The RPO style offense may actually help Kamara when it comes to running against this tough Buccaneers defense. In the first meeting we saw Kamara finish with 61 yards on 19 carries but did have a rushing touchdown. He also added three catches for 15 yards. Tampa has struggled against pass catching running backs and Kamara does have eight catches over the last two games. Maybe room for more here tonight.

Rob Gronkowski, TE - Gronk is just as likely to lead the team in catches, yards and touchdowns as anyone else in this Tampa Bay offense and you get him at the cheapest price of the core group. He had a two touchdown game against Atlanta back in Week 13 and had 123 yards on seven catches in Week 12. It's in his bag so the question is can he put it all together tonight?

UTIL

Mike Evans, WR - Evans and Marshon Lattimore do not like one another. They have been involved in numerous on field altercations that has lead to penalties and ejections in the past. This makes Evans a big time risk. In the first matchup Lattimore largely held Evans quiet, two catches on four targets for 48 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown upside is always interested. 

Leonard Fournette, RB - You really can't run against this Saints defense as evidenced by their #1 DVOA ranking against the run and the fact that Fournette only had eight carries for 26 yards. The potential upside here is in the passing game for Fournette where he has proven to be quite the capable pass catcher over the past handful of weeks.

Tre'Quan Smith/Marquez Callaway, WR - Attacking the Buccaneers in the secondary has been the strategy this season and Smith did find the end zone against the Buccaneers in their first meeting. Of course, Taysom Hill at QB is not great for the Saints pass catchers but at least Smith is going to be a popular target option for Hill when they start throwing. Smith had seven targets in that game against Dallas which the Saints were trailing, unfortunately he only pulled in two for 15 yards. Callaway is the other receiver to consider here for the Saints. He is much more of a down field threat but Hill can certainly use him mobility to extend plays and allow Callaway to find space for a big play.

Tampa Bay D/ST - Taysom Hill is no stranger to turning the football over and getting sacked. Though the Buccaneers defense has had it's ups and downs this season this is certainly a matchup that could bring out a ceiling type performance.

Dart Throws

Kickers - Need some cheap plays if you want to use Brady in your MVP slot and either kick here will do the trick but I lean Succop over Maher if I had to make the choice as Tampa should be in line to score more points this evening.

Cameron Brate, TE - Brate still finds his way to the occasional end zone target and would be a low-owned dart throw that might find his way to a one catch for a touchdown type of night.

Tyler Johnson, WR - Breshad Perriman is on the Covid-IL which should move Johnson back into the receiver rotation to fill the void left by Antonio Brown. Brady will certainly take a few shots in his direction this evening.