#Project32 provides in-depth breakdowns, projections, and rankings of all 32 teams coupled with promotion of some charitable organizations (a ‘My Clause My Cleats’ charity from some of your favorite fantasy players on each team)
In support of the New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter, the 2021 ‘My Cause My Cleats’ pick of controversial Tight End / Quarterback Taysom Hill
We are on a mission to enable women and their children to transition from a life of homelessness and poverty to one of stability and self-sufficiency.
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- Division: NFC South
- 2021 Finish: 9-8
- Divisional Record: 4-2
- 2022 Projected Finish: 10-7
- 2022 Strength of Schedule: 9th
New Orleans Saints Offense
Play Caller: Pete Carmichael
For the first time since 2005, the Saints will take the field without Sean Payton or Drew Brees. They jumped out to a 5-2 start last season with Jameis Winston under center, but he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in a week 8 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They would start three quarterbacks over the final 10 games of the season including Trevor Siemian (0-4), Taysom Hill (4-1), and Ian Book (0-1). The Saints missed the playoffs, but there is a lot to like about this team heading into the 2022 season.
Jameis Winston is now fully recovered and has some new and improved toys to play with. Michael Thomas is expected to be ready for Week 1 and the Saints have added Jarvis Landry (free agency) and Chris Olave (Draft) to the wide receiver room. That’s a massive upgrade when you consider the top three receivers last season were Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, and Tre‘Quan Smith. Adam Trautman will be the primary tight end and Taysom Hill will continue to be used at multiple positions including the QB position in short yardage and goal line situations. The running back room will be led by Alvin Kamara and fan favorite Mark Ingram.
2021 By the Numbers
- Points Scored: 364 (19th)
- Total Yards: 5,177 (28th)
- Total Plays: 1,051 (23rd)
- Yards Per Play: 4.9 (27th)
- 1st Downs: 307 (27th), Passing 165 (16th), Rushing 113 (15th)
- Scoring Rate: 33.7% (23rd)
- Turnover Rate: 8.7% (5th)
- Offensive Plays/Game: 61.8 (23rd)
- Pace of Play: 26.6 Seconds Per Play (23rd)
- Passing Ratio: 51% (29th)
- Neutral Game Script: 52% (27th)
- RPO: 54 Snaps – 29.6% Success Rate
- Motion: 353 Plays – 35.7% Success Rate
- No Huddle: 36 Plays – 36.1% Success Rate
- Play Action: 147 Plays – 47.6% Success Rate
2021 Target Distribution
WRs: 248 Targets (31st)
RBs: 134 Targets (5th)
TEs: 92 Targets (20th)
2021 Personnel Groupings
11 Personnel: 505 Plays
OVR: 48% (43% Success Rate)
Pass Rate: 56% (43% Success Rate)
Run Rate: 44% (42% Success Rate)
12 Personnel: 206 Plays
OVR: 20% (43% Success Rate)
Pass Rate: 37% (34% Success Rate)
Run Rate: 63% (49% Success Rate)
21 Personnel: 103 Plays
OVR: 10% (43% Success Rate)
Pass Rate: 41% (50% Success Rate)
Run Rate: 59% (38% Success Rate)
Offensive Line Projected Starters
LT: #74 James Hurst
Age: 30 HT: 6’5 WT: 310 College: UNC Draft: UDFA
OVR PFF: 69.8 Pass: 76.9 Run: 60.1 (941 Snaps)
Contract: 3 years / $3,250,000 per year (31st at position) – Expires 2025
LG: #75 Andrus Peat
Age: 28 HT: 6’7 WT: 316 College: Stanford Draft: RD1 Pick 13
OVR PFF: 52.1 Pass: 20.1 Run: 62.1 (303 Snaps)
Contract: 3 years / $11,500,000 per year (4th at position) – Expires 2025
C: #78 Erik McCoy
Age: 24 HT: 6’4 WT: 303 College: Texas A&M Draft: RD2 Pick 48
OVR PFF: 63.6 Pass: 69.2 Run: 66.4 (746 Snaps)
Contract: 1 year / $1,522,646 per year (28th at position) – Expires 2023
RG: #51 Cesar Ruiz
Age: 23 HT: 6’4 WT: 316 College: Michigan Draft: RD1 Pick 24
OVR PFF: 57.6 Pass: 63.8 Run: 52.9 (1,091 Snaps)
Contract: 2 years / $3,169,800 per year (21st at position) – Expires 2024 – 5th year option available
RT: #71 Ryan Ramczyk
Age: 28 HT: 6’6 WT: 314 College: Wisconsin Draft: RD1 Pick 32
OVR PFF: 84.1 Pass: 73.0 Run: 85.6 (653 Snaps)
Contract: 5 years / $19,200,000 per year (1st at position) – Expires 2027
“he’s the only player in NFL history to finish a season with 30 touchdowns AND 30 interceptions in the same season”
QB Room
#2 Jameis Winston
Age: 28 HT: 6’4 WT: 231 College: FSU Draft: RD1 Pick 1
Contract: 2 years / $14,000,000 per year (18th at position) – Expires 2024
Jameis Winston enters the 2022 season on a prove-it year with the New Orleans Saints. His contract has an out after this season, but the organization has set him up for success. It’s not always pretty with Winston, but he did lead this team to a 5-2 start last season before tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 8. Through the first seven games he threw for 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions, which is worth noting when you consider he’s the only player in NFL history to finish a season with 30 touchdowns AND 30 interceptions in the same season. Trust me when I tell you, being a 30-30 guy is only good in baseball. The arm strength is obvious and even though his 2021 season was cut short, he showed signs of maturity in his decision making with a career low 1.9% interception percentage. If he can continue to eliminate turnovers and trust his receivers to extend plays after the catch, we could see Winston have a career year in 2022.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Passing: 552 Attempts, 65.8% Comp Rate, 3,961 Yards (7.2 YPA), 28 Touchdowns (5.1%)
Rushing: 45 Attempts, 4.2 YPC, 190 Yards, 1 Touchdown
PROJECTIONS TEMPLATE – GET NOW!
RB Room
#41 Alvin Kamara
Age: 27 HT: 5’10 WT: 215 College: Tennessee Draft: RD3 Pick 67
Contract: 4 years / $15,000,000 per year (2nd at position) – Expires 2026
It’s looking more and more like Alvin Kamara will avoid a suspension during the 2022 season stemming from an altercation in Las Vegas during the NFL Pro Bowl earlier this year. If that holds true, that’s a huge boost to this offense. Kamara is elite in both the run game and passing game. He owns a career average of 4.6 yards per carry as a runner and he’s only had one season with less than 80 receptions over his five-year career. Kamara had a career high 240 carries in just 13 games last season. The increased workload on the ground had more to do with the rash of injuries at the skill positions then a change in philosophy. With Thomas back and the additions of Olave and Landry, we should expect things to get back to normal in New Orleans. I expect to see Kamara around the 200 carry mark with 70-plus receptions.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 17% Target Share, 94 Targets, 73 Receptions, 636 yards (8.7 YPR), 4 Touchdowns
Rushing: 46% Rush Share, 208 Attempts, 955 Yards (4.6 YPC), 5 Touchdowns
#5 Mark Ingram II
Age: 32 HT: 5’9 WT: 215 College: Alabama Draft: RD1 Pick 28
Contract: 1 year / $1,812,500 per year (38th at position) – Expires 2023
Mark Ingram appears to have found the fountain of youth. he will turn 33 during the 2022 season but managed to carry the rock 160 times for 554 yards while contributing 162 yards on 27 receptions in the passing game. He returned to New Orleans after spending the last two-plus season with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. Ingram doesn’t have the homerun capabilities that he did in his younger years, but he can still run between the tackles and move the chains.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 4% Target Share, 22 Targets, 16 Receptions, 114 yards (7.1 YPR), 0 Touchdowns
Rushing: 31% Rush Share, 140 Attempts, 574 Yards (4.1 YPC), 4 Touchdowns
WR Room
#13 Michael Thomas
Age: 29 HT: 6’3 WT: 212 College: Ohio State Draft: RD2 Pick 47
Contract: 3 years / $19,250,000 per year (16th at position) – Expires 2025
Michael Thomas has not played in an NFL game since Dec 16, 2020. He missed the final three games of the 2020 season due to a high ankle sprain and then missed the entire 2021 season due to multiple setbacks. The former NFL Offensive Player of the Year looks to be ready to go to start the 2022 season. In his last full season in 2019, Thomas finished with 185 targets, 149 receptions, 1,725 yards, and nine touchdowns. Mr. Slant is the one of the best to ever do it in the short to intermediate areas of the field. If he’s even remotely close to getting back to 2019 form, he’s an absolute smash at his current ADP.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 20% Target Share, 110 Targets, 83 Receptions, 968 Yards (11.7 YPR), 8 Touchdowns
“He gets to work with and learn from one of the greatest wide receivers in the game “
#12 Chris Olave
Age: 22 HT: 6’1 WT: 189 College: Ohio State Draft: RD1 Pick 11
Contract: 4 years / $4,817,968 per year (49th at position) – Expires 2026 – 5th year option available
Chris Olave landed in a great situation in New Orleans. He gets to work with and learn from one of the greatest wide receivers in the game in Michael Thomas. In his four seasons at Ohio State, Olave totaled 175 receptions for 2,702 yards and 35 touchdowns. He plays with elite speed (4.39) and shows an ability to win at all three levels. He can play inside or outside but look for the Saints to use him as the flanker in this offense. If Thomas goes down for any length of time, Olave becomes the clear WR1 in this offense.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 14% Target Share, 77 Targets, 51 Receptions, 627 Yards (12.3 YPR), 5 Touchdowns
#80 Jarvis Landry
Age: 29 HT: 5’11 WT: 202 College: LSU Draft: RD2 Pick 63
Contract: 1 year / $3,000,000 per year (69th at position) – Expires 2023
Jarvis Landry started his NFL career with seven straight seasons over 100 targets and 72 receptions before finishing last season with just 87 targets and 52 receptions. Landry missed five games last season, or the streaks would still be alive. Landry doesn’t have the top end speed that Olave has or the skillset as a route runner that Thomas has, but he understands the game and how to manipulate defenders to create space in the passing game. He gives the Saints a veteran receiver that has come up big in critical moments over his eight years in the NFL.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 16% Target Share, 88 Targets, 58 Receptions, 617 Yards (10.6 YPR), 4 Touchdowns
TE Room
#82 Adam Trautman
Age: 25 HT: 6’5 WT: 253 College: Dayton Draft: RD3 Pick 105
Contract: 2 years / $1,077,803 per year (76th at position) – Expires 2024
So many people wanted Adam Trautman to be a thing. If there was ever a time for Trautman to shine it was last season with Michael Thomas out and a lack of depth at the wide receiver position. The reality is he only finished with 43 targets, 27 receptions, 263 yards and just two touchdowns over 13 games. Trautman lacks the speed and athleticism that would accompany a top tight end option in the NFL. I just don’t see things getting any better for Trautman in 2022.
2022 Fantasy Outlook:
Receiving: 9% Target Share, 50 Targets, 35 Receptions, 363 Yards (10.4 YPR), 3 Touchdowns
**Advanced Stats & Metrics provided by Yards Per Fantasy, Player Profiler, Sharp Football Analysis, Fantasy Pros, Team Rankings, Pro Football Focus, Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference**
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