New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks
|
Saints |
$$ |
Seahawks |
$$ |
|
Drew Brees |
$9,600 |
Russell Wilson |
$8,400 |
|
Mark Ingram |
$5,300 |
Marshawn Lynch |
$9,000 |
|
Marques Colston |
$5,600 |
Percy Harvin |
$5,600 |
|
Lance Moore |
$5,000 |
Golden Tate |
$5,300 |
|
Jimmy Graham |
$7,500 |
Zach Miller |
$4,600 |
Everyone is aware that the Seahawks hold one the greatest home field advantages and that their already phenomenal defense gets ramped up even more at home. Home and road splits can be noise, but when it involves these two teams, there’s a clear advantage that one team has by this game being held in Seattle. We know about the Saints road woes, but check out how their offense falls into middling ground on the road.
|
SEA D HOME |
NFL RANK |
CAT. |
NO O AWAY |
NFL RANK |
|
254.2 |
1 |
TOT. YD/GM |
364.3 |
9 |
|
4.2 |
1 |
YD/ PLAY |
5.4 |
14 |
|
93.8 |
7 |
RUSH YD/GM |
92.2 |
14 |
|
160.5 |
1 |
PASS YD/GM |
272.1 |
4 |
|
13.8 |
2 |
PPG |
18.7 |
25 |
Brees will be an easy fade for everyone this weekend. He hasn’t thrown for multiple scores on the road in his past four games and faces the league’s best secondary and defense against fake football quarterbacks. The Seahawks haven’t allowed a 200 yard passer since week seven or two touchdowns through the air since week nine. Brees had his lowest yardage (147) passing and scoring game (7.8 points) of the season in the Monday night meeting.
The Saints had made it pretty clear all season how they were going to use Darren Sproles in their offense and the absence of Pierre Thomas last week was no different. He played under 40 percent of offensive snaps for ninth time in their past ten games while totaling 60 yards on eight touches.
Ingram was the real beneficiary with the PT Cruiser left on cinderblocks last week, carrying 18 times for 97 yards and a score. Both of those marks were the second highest in his three year career, and if Thomas misses again, his role will be similar as the Saints will attempt to improve on the 17 attempt, 44 yard rushing effort they tallied in the first meeting.
If we’re expecting to fade Brees so severely, you have to fade his passing weapons along with him. The ambiguity of the Saints receiving corps outside of Jimmy Graham on a weekly basis alone is enough to cause headaches before adding in the league’s best secondary to the equation.
Graham stays at a semi-fair price and had three catches for 42 yards and the lone Saints touchdown in the first game, but Seattle hasn’t allowed a tight end to reach 70 yards receiving since week four. If you roll with Graham, you’re hoping for his points to come from a score only as he should see plenty of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas in his area. Whether his foot is still a real issue or not, he just hasn’t been making vertical plays between the 20’s.
Wilson is pretty attractive as the second lowest priced quarterback this weekend and had his best game of the season in week 13 and was one of only two quarterbacks to finish inside of the weekly top 12 against the Saints. In that game he was 22-30 for 310 yards (only his third 300 yard passing game in his 34 career starts) for three scores and added 47 yards rushing. In the four games since then, Wilson has flamed, completing just 57.9 percent of his throws for 171 yards per game to go along with four touchdowns and three interceptions. The problem with Wilson in fantasy football is one that has existed since last season. While he’s clearly one the best quarterbacks, his dominant defense and running game act as a power dampening field against him most of the time, as Seattle just rarely needs to rely on his arm to win them games.
Beast Mode became Beast Mode the last time these two teams met in the postseason. New Orleans did a fantastic job in limiting LeSean McCoy last weekend, and I would expect them to have a similar type of defensive approach again this week against Lynch. Lynch hasn’t even come remotely close to meeting the type of value his price tag suggests over the final two months, but that is likely padded because he’s the best paper play of the weekend at running back. While he’s only met this price tag three times over his past ten games, I still will try and fit him in to spots if I can with him coming off of rest.
Don’t get cute and try catch lightning in a bottle with Harvin. His usage still remains a mystery and the Saints have been stifling to opposing receivers. Miller had his best game of the season (five catches for 86 yards and a score) in week 13, so I’m sure he’ll lure a few people back in for those desiring a punt play tight end, but has just six catches for 53 yards total since that night. Tate is a solid option, but one that comes with the risk of being attached to low volume.
