Saints defense eyes a marquee Week 2 upset as a hobbled 49ers squad visits New Orleans. With Purdy, Kittle, and Aiyuk sidelined or limited, Spencer Rattler and a rebuilt Saints attack must lean on a stout defense and a smarter game plan to steal a win.

Bold projections color the page: a pass rush that adds five sacks, Rashid Shaheed erupting for big yards, and Cameron Jordan delivering multiple sacks. In a low-scoring, defense-driven game, fantasy managers should chase Saints playmakers while tempering expectations for the visiting offense.

New Orleans marks one day until kickoff by tracing the No. 1 jersey lineage: Garo Yepremian, Benny Ricarco, Martin Gramatica, Marquez Callaway and Alontae Taylor. Taylor, who switched from 27 to 1 in 2023, now carries the Saints’ most storied digit on the field.

Callaway’s No. 1 era produced 58 receptions and 856 yards across 2021-22, with a team-leading 698 yards in 2021. Taylor has pushed that legacy, logging 34 No. 1 appearances in the last two seasons—the most by any Saint in the number.

Chase Young and Trevor Penning are ruled out for Week 1 as New Orleans hosts Arizona, reshaping the Saints' edge and left-guard rotation. Jordan Howden is listed as questionable with an oblique, while Khristian Boyd and Alontae Taylor carry limited designations; Taylor is on track to play. For Arizona, Will Hernandez is out, Calais Campbell rests, with several other Cardinals players carrying no designation. These updates tilt some Week 1 expectations on both sides and create fantasy-adjusted risk around pass rush and pass protection.

With Young and Penning sidelined, Saints' defense and offensive line faces a thinner edge presence and guard depth, while Arizona’s offensive front may benefit from an improved matchup on the Saints’ rush lanes. Fantasy implications center on QBs and pass-catchers who could see more time or time to throw, plus potential changes in defensive performance and game tempo.

Chase Young is out with a calf strain and Trevor Penning is inactive with a toe issue, while Alontae Taylor returns to action for New Orleans against Arizona. The Saints will monitor Young week to week, shaping edge rotations for the matchup.

With Young sidelined, Carl Granderson and Cameron Jordan are set to anchor the defensive edge, and Taylor’s return bolsters the secondary. The Saints’ defensive plan hinges on a steadier rush and tighter coverage to slow the Cardinals’ attack.