Taysom Hill will make his first start of the season on Thursday night for the New Orleans Saints, and if 2020 is any indication, that means a massive shift in the way the Saints offense operates.
First, let's start with the running. Hill averaged 10 rush attempts per game in his four starts last year. So far this year, Jameis Winston and Trevor Siemian have combined for fewer than four attempts per game. Even if you factor in Hill's two attempts per game, that's a pretty massive swing. Of course, it may not mean fewer attempts for the running backs, because the Saints ran the ball at a 52% clip in Hill's starts. So far this year the Saints have run the ball on 46% of their offensive plays.
Obviously, more rush attempts mean fewer pass attempts, but that wasn't the only change to the Saints passing game with Hill under center. In three of his four games, Alvin Kamara had fewer than 10 receiving yards. That evened out because Hill peppered Kamara in the fourth game, but it's something to watch for. Kamara isn't playing in Week 13, but it could definitely impact the upside of Mark Ingram.
Essentially, I would view this as a downgrade for everyone on the Saints offense. But the flip side of that is that Hill is instantly the most interesting Fantasy quarterback the Saints have started this season. In leagues that reward four points per pass touchdown he's a must-start option and he's a borderline No. 1 even in a standard CBS league. He's also the top streamer in that section below.
Let's get to the rest of the Week 13 preview:
Fantasy Football Today Newsletter
Know What Your Friends Don't
Get tips, advice and news to win your league - all from the FFT podcast team.
By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge Paramount's Privacy Policy.
Normally you wouldn't dream of choosing a quarterback who has struggled like Jackson has the past two weeks at Pittsburgh. But this defense is just not the same as they've been and Jackson is too good to keep struggling like this. If he comes at a lower roster rate as well, bonus!
Get 40% off NFL gear now
The holidays are almost here, and you can now get 40% off select NFL gear at Fanatics. Hoodies, shirts, jackets, and much more are discounted. There's even baseball gear on sale. Check out the full Holiday Promo selection here now.
We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
