The rivalry between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons is always entertaining. With both teams locked in a dead heat at 55 wins each, last week’s game intensified the rivalry even more with both teams. So, it was no surprise when their Sunday showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turned into a nail-biter that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. This game claimed some points in fantasy leagues but going into Monday Night’s game against the Chiefs, could result in another loss and fantasy point deficits with all the injuries and performance woes. Let’s take look at who to Sit/Start for this week’s matchup. It could be some risky matchups.
Alvin Kamara- Sit
Alvin Kamara, who has been dealing with hip and rib concerns, participated in limited last and this week. Despite these ailments, he played through them last week and managed to contribute significantly in the game against Atlanta. Kamara was full on Saturday; however, will he be able to participate and perform at his best on Monday night? Sitting him may be best this week.
Blake Grupe- Sit
Just as they were starting to get comfortable with rookie kicker Blake Grupe, he was sidelined on Thursday with a right hip injury. Grupe, who has been impressive so far this season, ranking fifth among NFL kickers with at least three appearances. Fortunately, Grupe was a full go on Friday and Saturday so hopefully this is not another setback for the Saints’ special teams unit.
Taysom Hill- Sit
Head coach Dennis Allen confirmed the worst: Taysom Hill missed practice all week with rib fractures. We don’t even know how many fractures he has, but it was serious enough to sideline him for Monday’s crucial game against the Chiefs. This is just brutal. Hill already missed Week 3 with a bruised lung, and now this. Another chest injury right after a loss? Talk about a gut punch. This was not the news Saints fans wanted to hear, and it definitely threw a wrench into their plans for taking down the Chiefs.
Derek Carr- Start
Carr had an efficient day on Sunday, completing 28 of 36 passes for 239 yards with one interception in the Saints’ 26-24 loss to the Falcons. While the passing game struggled, the Saints’ rushing attack shined, with Taysom Hill (ribs) scoring two first-half touchdowns and Alvin Kamara adding another late. After a strong Week 1 performance against the Panthers, Carr’s numbers have dipped in the last three games, with a less impressive 3:3 TD:INT ratio and failing to reach 250 passing yards in any game this season. Carr will need to step up his game significantly to help the Saints compete against the Chiefs in Week 5. This one is somewhat risky. Carr didn’t have a bad game stat wise against the Falcons, but it struggled and with the injury list as is, he may have a few hurdles completing passes against the Chiefs defense with a beat up Oline, and Hill being out.
Rashid Shaheed- Start
Shaheed had a breakout game against the Falcons, hauling in eight of 11 targets for 83 yards and adding 14 rushing yards on two carries. His performance was nearly identical to that of Chris Olave, but no other Saints wideout or tight end had more than 13 receiving yards. This was a significant bounce-back after being held without a catch the previous week. His eight receptions and 11 targets were both season highs. Although marred by a muffed punt that led to an Atlanta touchdown, Shaheed’s performance was impressive. He’ll need to continue this level of play to help the Saints secure a victory against the Chiefs.
Chris Olave- Start
Olave had a fantastic performance on Sunday, catching eight of 10 targets for 87 yards in the 26-24 loss to the Falcons. His numbers were almost identical to Rashid Shaheed (8-83-0 on 11 targets), but no other Saints wideout or tight end surpassed 13 receiving yards. Olave has consistently exceeded 80 yards in the last three games, demonstrating his reliability as one of Derek Carr’s primary deep threats. However, Sunday’s catches and targets were his highest totals of the season. The Saints will need another strong performance from Olave in Week 5 against Kansas City to stay competitive for the entire game.
The Saints just need to find their rhythm again. They have lost the last 2 games, as they didn’t have the intensity as the first dominating wins, against the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. In tonight’s primetime game against the Chiefs, the team will need to figure out a solid game plan of attack to clench a win.
Let us know in the comments below, who you have starting and sitting this week. Did you make any risky roster moves for Week 5?