The Saints Offense Is On A Record Pace, WIth Plenty Of Fantasy Options

In an opinion piece by Tom E. Curran over at NBCSports, he talks about the prospects of the Saints overtaking some of the records that were set just two seasons ago by the New England Patriots. I don’t think it is fair to suggest the Saints aren’t getting any love, but I would hardly compare the way the Saints are covered with the orgy that seemed to ensue every week as Tom Brady throwing to Randy Moss was replayed over and over and over again on national sports news channels.

From a fantasy perspective, this could end up helping you out. If you don’t own Drew Brees right now, that ship has sailed. But there are so many weapons in New Orleans that it is conceivable you could pry a lesser named offensive player from a fellow owner and cash in.

Running Back

Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush have combined to form a pretty solid committee. Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas are capable of posting huge days in any given week. And due to the uncertainty of who will blow up, you deal for one of them without having to give up a top-tier player on your roster. Reggie Bush has failed to cash in on his potential from a fantasy perspective but if Thomas and/or Bell get hurt between now and the end of the season, Bush would conceivably be leaned on more. I know Bush is easily gotten because I can’t give him away in my league.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

The lack of names like Randy Moss and Wes Welker keep the Saints receiving corps under the radar. You know that Marques Colston and Lance Moore are solid, as is Devery Henderson--Curran points out that of the top three receivers, Colston has roughly half the production. Because fantasy owners know Brees is going to spread the ball around, Lance Moore loses some appeal and you might be able to offer a player in return for Moore that is a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Chances are Moore will not only produce for you, but he will spike up for a huge day here and there.

Jeremy Shockey fits into all of this as well. I remember thinking back to my draft and seeing Shockey on the board for a very long time. In a 12-team league, it was likely nobody picked Shockey as their starter. His 22 catches and 3 touchdowns (199 yards) aren’t crazy, but he is steady and Drew Brees knows he has to keep him involved. In my league, he was dropped at his bye week, and he stayed available until this week.

Finally, the situation at quarterback is worth debating as well. As a Redskins fan, I would have a hard time stashing Mark Brunell on my bench. But you have to ask yourself: If Drew Brees went down, would Brunell be able to continue putting points on the board? Nobody would confuse Brunell with Brees. But at the end of the day, he is a smart, able signal caller with a ton of experience. He would have an arsenal unlike the one he had in D.C. and you know he would get rid of the ball quickly. Maybe he wouldn’t throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns, but 250-300 yards and 3-4 touchdowns for Brunell in the right matchup is not out of the question. (Did you think Matt Cassel would come in and look like an All-Star when he took over for Brady? Brunell’s experience and savvy would conceivably make up for Cassel’s youth and mobility when he took over in New England.)

As the Saints continue to make a push to break offensive records, it would be wise to do everything in your power to try and get a piece of it on your fantasy team.