Saints Fantasy Football Week 13: Start 'Em or Sit 'Em

Saints News Network's Fantasy Analyst Brendan Boylan gives his Start' Em or Sit 'Em for New Orleans Saints players in Week 13.

As the Fantasy Football regular season comes to a close and many are making their final playoff pushes, many questions are being played in your own head. Who should I start? Should I cut them? Is there a good wavier wire target?

To help with all your New Orleans Saints Fantasy Football questions and needs, here is my weekly Start 'Em or Sit 'Em with a twist! This week take a look at who to Start, Sit, Cut and Pickup, right in time for the Playoffs.

Start 'Em

RB Alvin Kamara

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I have purposefully kept RB Alvin Kamara out of my weekly fantasy pieces for the majority of 2020. Why? He was the No. 1 scoring player in all of Fantasy Football and the true definition of a “can't bench” player but now we have hit a crossroads as Kamara is coming off his worst two scoring outings of the season.

Kamara has played less than 50% of the team's offensive snaps the last two weeks and have turned to Latavius Murray to close out the game on the ground. While it is a concern to why he is seeing less time on the field than he has all season, there should be no question that AK is a must-start week in and out, especially in the upcoming fantasy football playoffs.

He remains the best scoring RB in all fantasy PPR leagues (24 points per week) and has 5 touchdowns over the last four weeks. Whatever fantasy “slump” Kamara is in right now will not last long and could easily end against a Falcons team defense that ranks in the bottom half of the NFL.

WR Michael Thomas

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For Michael Thomas Fantasy Football Owners, it has been a difficult year for your first-round pick. After only 3 receptions for 17 yards in Week 1, Thomas would miss the next 6 games because of injury. Since his return, Thomas has only one 100+ yard performance and has seen his number of targets decrease as the Saints' offense has become more run dominant with QB Taysom Hill.

Despite the lack of consistent scoring, Thomas remains a WR1 when healthy and certainly this week against Atlanta and their 31st Ranked Pass Defense. Just two weeks ago the Saints battled the Falcons for the first time in 2020 and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year pieced together his best game of the season hauling in 9 receptions for 104 yards. Some of you are making your final playoff push this week, put your trust into your first round pick.

QB Taysom Hill

© Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

QB Taysom Hill completed only 9 passes in last week's victory over Denver, but still managed 17.5 fantasy points behind his 2 first half touchdown runs. Though his ability to be played at TE has been taken away in most leagues, Hill is still a solid play this week at quarterback.

Through two starts, Hill has not thrown a touchdown pass but to fantasy owners' delight has found the end zone with his legs 4 total times, 2 in each game. Hill battles a defense in Week 13 that he has seen recently and had success against, putting up 24 fantasy points against the Falcons just two weeks ago. Hill is a borderline starter at QB in standard leagues this week and in 2 QB leagues is a top tier QB2. 

Sit 'Em

WR Emmanuel Sanders

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Since being activated from the COVID-19 list after Week 8, there has been no consistency to Emmanuel Sanders' numbers. Over the last four weeks, the Super Bowl 50 Champion has two games in which he finished with 1 reception for less than 10 yards but also has two double digit fantasy performances in PPR leagues. So what do you do?

Unfortunately, between missing games, becoming the team's No. 1 WR because of Michael Thomas' injury and now playing in a run heavy system (averaging less than 20 pass attempts per game), Sanders has not been the WR most thought, in terms of Fantasy Value, when he signed with the Saints. Now when Drew Brees returns, Sanders' value could rise back to a week-to-week FLEX play, but for now sit Sanders.

Cut 'Em

TE Jared Cook

Nov 24, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Jared Cook (87) makes a catch with Carolina Panthers cornerback Javien Elliott (23) defending. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

After a Pro Bowl caliber season for Saints TE Jared Cook in 2019, I took him late in my fantasy draft thinking he would be a serviceable TE option throughout the year. If you were like me and rostered Cook this season, you know as well as I do that 2020 has not been kind to the long-time NFL veteran.

Since Drew Brees' injury in Week 10, Cook has recorded just a single catch, a 6-yard pickup against Atlanta. To take it a step further the 2x Pro Bowl selection has not posted more than 10 fantasy points (PPR Leagues) in a game since Week 8. Cook has registered just 22 receptions on the season, his fewest in a decade. If you have been thinking of dropping Cook, now is the time. The pass catching big-man is not befitting from the Saints run first offense under QB Taysom Hill.

Pick 'Em Up

RB Latavius Murray

© Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Available in over 40% of most leagues, Saints RB Latavius Murray could be a steal prior to the start of the Fantasy Football playoffs. Since Taysom Hill took over as the Saints starting quarterback, Murray is averaging 15 carries for 86 yards and one score a game. Murray has also become the Saints' workhorse late in ball games, running between the tackles to drain the clock and pick up those crucial late game fantasy points.

As of right now, there still is no true timetable for Drew Brees' return which translates to continued run heavy offensive schemes and more touches for Murray, who showed last week how dangerous he can be in the red zone.

Yes, he splits carries but Murray has actually dug into his backfield partner Alvin Kamara's touches over the last two weeks. Murray will not serve as a RB1 or RB2 throughout the remainder of the season but in those deeper leagues go grab Murray has a FLEX play and win your league!

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