The New Orleans Saints were fairly comfortable with a 23-10 lead deep into the fourth quarter on Sunday, but Matthew Stafford led the Detroit Lions to a victory in less than five minutes. Of course, in the world of fantasy football, there can always be a silver lining despite a disappointing loss. As usual, Drew Brees and his offense put up some noteworthy numbers in Sunday's loss. We're here to breakdown the individual fantasy performances.
Saints fantasy recap: Uneventful on the ground, Brees and offense excel in the air
The Saints couldn’t make things happen in the run game, but Drew Brees and his receivers put up noteworthy numbers despite a loss to the Lions. We take a look at the fantasy implications.
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Drew Brees: Brees finished with 342 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's loss. He added one carry for 13 rushing yards. As well as Brees played, his interception in the fourth quarter led to the team's loss. Brees' Week 7 performance marks his third straight game of 340 or more passing yards with multiple touchdowns. It will be business as usual for fantasy owners in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers.
Marques Colston: Colston caught six of 10 targets for 111 yards. Colston was the focal point of the Saints offense with tight end Jimmy Graham sidelined for most of Sunday's game as he battled a shoulder injury. It was Colston's third consecutive week without a score. He'll be a WR2 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 if Graham is limited again. Otherwise, fantasy owners should expect WR3 production from Colston moving forward.
Jimmy Graham: Graham was listed as active on game day. It was presumed he would play on a limited basis, but fantasy owners saw zero production from the stud tight end on Sunday. Graham saw close to 30 snaps and was targeted twice by Brees, but he came away with nothing to show on his stat line. Considering the red flags with Graham’s health in Week 7, fantasy owners can’t do anything but consider his performance an exception to the rule. He’ll remain a TE1 as long as he takes the field.
Kenny Stills: Stills caught five passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. His score came from a 46-yard play. It was a big game for Stills, but his previous season-high was a 2-62-0 stat line. Stills hasn't been a consistent contributor up to this point. He's a plug and play WR4, especially if Graham doesn't suit up in Week 8.
Khiry Robinson: Robinson came back down to earth for fantasy owners in Week 7. With Mark Ingram returning and Pierre Thomas sharing backfield duties, Robinson saw just three carries for 26 yards. He wasn't targeted in the passing game. Ingram led the Saints with ten carries but managed just 16 yards. The Saints totaled just 76 rushing yards as a team. With three key contributors in the Saints backfield, it would be best for fantasy owners to avoid starting a New Orleans running back until someone emerges.
