We’ll continue a series of opponent preview posts for the New Orleans Saints opponents in 2019. Next, we’ll look at a meeting of two old NFC West rivals, the Week 14 matchup in New Orleans against the San Francisco 49ers. Our friends over at Niners Nation took some time to give us Saints fans the scoop on their up-and-coming western foe.

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Week 14: vs the San Francisco 49ers

Notable free agent additions:

Dee Ford(via trade), Kwon Alexander, Jason Verrett, Tevin Coleman

Over/Under:

8 wins -- Over. I’m going with the over for a few reasons. Jimmy Garoppolo has been cleared for all physical activities. This will be the most talented 49ers roster in several years. The talent is there; now it’s just a question on if everyone can stay healthy. The offense is littered with speed and athleticism, while the defensive line has a chance to be one of the best in the NFL. I’m picking the over because I can see the Niners winning nine games without everything going according to plan.

Most exciting rookie:

Deebo Samuel. Nick Bosa will be great, but we already knew that. Samuel will be what puts the offense over the top. He’s electrifying with the ball in his hands. I wouldn’t want any other play-caller to get his hands on Samuel than Kyle Shanahan. Samuel coming into a situation where he’s not faced with the pressure of “being the guy” will only make him better.

Position battle to keep an eye on:

It has to be free safety. Jimmie Ward is penciled in as the starter, but he suffered a broken collarbone. He’ll be back at some point during training camp, but the door is open for Adrian Colbert, Tarvarius Moore, or some other player to seize Ward’s spot. Strong safety is right up there as well. The 49ers haven’t gotten a full season out of either of their starting safeties the past couple of years. I wonder how much durability will determine who starts.

Biggest storyline heading into training camp:

Is this the year the 49ers make the playoffs? It hasn’t happened since 2013 when the team won 12 games. In that five-season span since the team has combined for 25 wins. Everything that could go wrong has. With the talent, the schedule, and the rest of the teams in the NFC, the 49ers are running out of excuses. There’s no reason that--provided health--the Niners shouldn’t have a winning season.

Notable injuries heading into training camp:

Jimmie Ward, Fred Warner, Kwon Alexander, Jerick McKinnon.

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The Saints’ fans of old should get a kick out of their old Western rivals coming to the Dome.

So what says you, you unbiased Saints fans? Can the Saints get a little bit of payback on the team that used to cause them so much grief? Vote in the poll. Explain in the comments. And make sure you also check out DraftDividends.com, a website for a new book I’m writing currently titled Draft Picks and Dividends: A Fantasy Football Player’s Guide to Understanding the Stock Market.