This article is part of our Team Previews series.
New Orleans Saints 
The Saints offense needed a rejuvenation after the 2023 season. Quarterback Derek Carr struggled to stay upright during his first year in New Orleans, and the running game looked stuck in the mud with Alvin Kamara working behind a subpar offensive line. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will have to work past these issues while implementing a new system. WR1 is secure with Chris Olave, but Kamara's health and contract situation are key factors to monitor as Kubiak rolls out his offense.
New Orleans Saints 2024 Vital Information
- Head Coach: Dennis Allen (Year 3)
- Offensive Coordinator: Klint Kubiak (Year 1) – West Coast offense
- Defensive Coordinator: Joe Woods (Year 2) – 4-3 scheme
- Bye Week: 12
Full 2024 New Orleans Saints Depth Chart
Full 2023 New Orleans Saints Stats
Stats to Know for the New Orleans Saints
- 2023 Record: 9-8
- 2023 Strength of Schedule: .433 (31st)
- 2023 Point Differential: +75 (7th)
- 2023 Pass-Play Rate: 59% (20th)
- 2023 PROE: -2.6% (20th)
- 2023 PFF O-Line Rating: 23rd
| 2023 Stats | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Plays | 1,121 (4th) | 1,054 (9th) |
| Points | 402 (9th) | 327 (8th) |
| Turnovers | 18 (T-6th) | 29 (4th) |
| Yards | 5,732 (14th) | 5,562 (13th) |
| Rush Yards | 1,742 (21st) | 2,038 (22nd) |
| Pass Yards | 3,990 (11th) | 3,524 (10th) |
| Drives | 194 (T-10th) | 196 (27th) |
| Yards per Drive | 29.6 (16th) | 28.3 (8th) |
| Points per Drive | 1.94 (11th) | 1.60 (5th) |
New Orleans Saints 2024 Key Transactions
Skill Positions
| QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Veteran Additions | None | None | Cedrick Wilson | Kevin Rader |
| Equanimeous St. Brown | ||||
| Veteran Departures | Jameis Winston | None | Michael Thomas | Jimmy Graham |
| Lynn Bowden | ||||
| Keith Kirkwood |
Defense
| DL | LB | DB | |
| Veteran Additions | Chase Young | Willie Gay | Will Harris |
| Khaleke Hudson | Roderic Teamer | ||
| Veteran Departures | Malcolm Roach | Zack Baun | Marcus Maye |
| Isaac Yiadom | |||
| Lonnie Johnson |
Draft Picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position |
| 1 | 14 | Taliese Fuaga | T |
| 2 | 41 | Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB |
| 5 | 150 | Spencer Rattler | QB |
| 5 | 170 | Bub Means | WR |
| 5 | 175 | Jaylan Ford | LB |
| 6 | 199 | Khristian Boyd | DT |
| 7 | 239 | Josiah Ezirim | T |
New Orleans Saints 2024 Top Fantasy Story
Alvin Kamara missed four games due to suspension and a late-season ankle sprain in 2023, and his 6.2 yards per catch and 3.9 yards per carry were the worst and second worst marks of his career, respectively. Per usual, he was the engine of the offense when available, but the unit was mediocre at its best and downright unwatchable at its worst. New coordinator Klint Kubiak comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, and he's emphasized a run-first offense that relies on play action and misdirection. On paper, this change should benefit Kamara's output, but Kubiak may split the workload out of the backfield while scheming easier play-action looks for quarterback Derek Carr to spread the ball around.
Carr's first season in New Orleans didn't raise this offense's floor as much as hoped. The 33-year-old's 12 passing TDs from Weeks 15-18 boosted his season total to 25, and he posted a solid 68.4 completion percentage. However, his production was limited by 66.4 percent of his attempts traveling less than 10 yards, while Chris Olave was the team's only wideout to clear 1,000 yards or 50 catches.
The receiving corps will run it back with mostly the same starting group, led by Olave, Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson. The Saints added two unremarkable veteran receivers in Cedrick Wilson and Equanimeous St. Brown along with fifth-round pick Bub Means. Taysom Hill also will find his way in as a receiving TE and rushing QB.
New Orleans Saints 2024 Sleepers
⬆️ Sleeper: RB Kendre Miller
Miller never proved his value as a rookie, missing nine games due to knee and ankle injuries. But the 2023 third-rounder's youth spells upside for an offense that lacked explosiveness on the ground last year. Both Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams will enter the 2024 season at 29 years old. It's hard to imagine that two aging rushers can shoulder the workload in a run-heavy offense. Those looking to buy low on Miller should closely monitor his competition with Williams for the RB2 spot this offseason.
😴 Super Sleeper: WR Bub Means
The WR3 spot is wide open for New Orleans, and Means is a candidate worth monitoring. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder played outside and in the slot during his collegiate career at Pitt. While his production doesn't jump off the page, his athletic measurables do, as he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine and averaged 17.6 YPC as a senior. Means' explosiveness and versatility should earn him some opportunities, especially if Rashid Shaheed – the team's top deep threat last year – misses any time in 2024.
New Orleans Saints 2024 Team Futures
- Saints Super Bowl 59 odds: 100-1 (T-24th) via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Dennis Allen 2024 Coach of the Year odds: 66-1 (T-29th) via BetRivers Sportsbook
- 2024 Projected Over/Under Win Total: 7.5 (T-22nd) via FanDuel Sportsbook
New Orleans Saints 2024 Player Futures
- Chris Olave 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds: 100-1 (T-39th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Kool-Aid McKinstry 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds: 40-1 (16th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Derek Carr 2024 Over/Under Passing Yards: 3,400.5 (T-17th) via BetRivers Sportsbook
New Orleans Saints 2024 Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff (ET) |
| 1 | Sep 8 | Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sep 15 | at Dallas Cowboys | 1:00 PM |
| 3 | Sep 22 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1:00 PM |
| 4 | Sep 29 | at Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Oct 7 | at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 PM |
| 6 | Oct 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM |
| 7 | Oct 17 | Denver Broncos | 8:15 PM |
| 8 | Oct 27 | at Los Angeles Chargers | 4:05 PM |
| 9 | Nov 3 | at Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | Nov 10 | Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 PM |
| 11 | Nov 17 | Cleveland Browns | 1:00 PM |
| 12 | Bye | ||
| 13 | Dec 1 | Los Angeles Rams | 4:05 PM |
| 14 | Dec 8 | at New York Giants | 1:00 PM |
| 15 | Dec 15 | Washington Commanders | 1:00 PM |
| 16 | Dec 23 | at Green Bay Packers | 8:15 PM |
| 17 | Dec 29 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1:00 PM |
| 18 | TBD | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | TBD |
