Chase Holden’s Who Dat Fantasy Football Report: Saints Vs. Buccaneers

It’s the first week of the Fantasy Football Playoffs for most of you. Now its time to get serious. The same goes for the Saints coming off of a long week after their loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In last weeks report I talked about losing to the Cowboys in 2009 and how it could be a good thing for the Black and Gold’s Superbowl hopes. So go with that being a positive. Its never exciting to lose and in the fantasy football world with money or pride on the line, its the last thing you want to happen in single elimination games. Now Its time to put up or shut up for your fantasy teams and for the Saints as well. The bounce back and epic finish all starts now.

This week the Saints travel into Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers and it honestly couldn't be a saucier match up. In Week 1 I was shook with what Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Buccaneers did to us. Now the magic has run dry and these Bucs are giving up a ridiculous amount of fantasy points. Even though the Bucs embarrassed the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, I don’t see them being an obstacle this time around. Jameis Winston had a decent showing with 253 passing yards and two touchdowns along with Chris Godwin’s highest scoring fantasy game of the year. This is a guy that I could see shining against the Saints this week. Godwin put up five receptions for 101 yards! Those are the types of numbers that fantasy players thought they would see from him all season. With all the ups and downs he and the offense just hasn’t clicked fully.

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One player on this team that I've taken an interest in and added on a few of my rosters is Adam Humphries. He seems to be one of Winston's favorite targets and is coming off a seven reception, 61 yard game with a touchdown. Humphries has been a late season PPR hero and leaving me wondering if Mike Evans and Winston's just aren’t feeling each other this season, or maybe he is just gassed. With the Saints defense still allowing 30 points on average to receivers I’m fully confident with firing up Humphries this Sunday in PPR leagues to help propel you to a round one victory in the playoffs. Especially with DeSean Jackson being ruled out officially on the injury report. I’m also not feeling the run game on Tampa Bay’s side so if you actually have Peyton Barber as a starter on your team, I’m assuming you didn't make the final cut in your league.

On the Garage Guys Fantasy Sports Podcast this week I said ““Start Your Saints” and I’m not lying. Tampa Bay is giving up 21.5 Points to quarterbacks, 23 to running backs, 27 to wide receivers and ten to tight ends. That’s points all across the field and with Drew Brees and company coming off a big loss, I have a feeling the Bucs defense is going to feel the pain.

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Most of you have probably forgotten your fantasy point totals for the Saints in Week 1 but man they were nice. Alvin Kamara racked up 43 fantasy points that week with Mark Ingram serving his suspension. That was his highest scoring performance all season so far and I think he is fully capable of recreating a similar performance with Ingram grinding up yardage towards the end zone. The same goes for star wide out Michael Thomas. In Week 1 he put up 180 yards, 16 receptions and a touchdown (yeah that happened)! Obviously with all these points it makes Brees a fantasy stud and I have full confidence that he will shine once again in Week 14. Don’t forget to not sleep on the possibility of Tre’Quan Smith sneaking in a touchdown in this one as well.

Bottom line is that this Saints team is special and when they get knocked down they can come back in a big way. The same should go for your fantasy team. Whether you’ve been undefeated all year or had ups and downs to lead you to your playoff spot, you have to make smart choices this. There’s no more room for error so trust what works and grind it out. The Saints should look to do the same. GRIND IT OUT!

For any and all fantasy football questions feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @GarageGuyChase and subscribe to the Garage Guys Fantasy Sports Podcast on Apple Podcasts.