Jacksonville’s backfield looked more like a regular-season projection in the second preseason tune-up, with Tank Bigsby operating on first- and second-down snaps while Travis Etienne Jr. handled third downs, yielding a near 50/50 split in routes, targets and carries. The Jaguars’ depth rotation remained lively, as Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen made progress later in drives, yet Starter usage suggested a clearer top-two order than last week.

New Orleans’ offense offered a contrasting but fantasy-relevant note: Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed both logged 100% of the Saints’ starter snaps in their preseason debuts, signaling immense on-field trust. Brandin Cooks sat, Brand-new slot and outside looks emerged with Cedrick Wilson Jr. mixing in, and slot duties began to tilt toward Wilson in three-receiver sets. Alvin Kamara rested, with Kendre Miller stepping in for early-down work; Kamara’s health will drive the backfield dynamic when available.

Along the depth charts, the Saints’ receiver rotation in 11 personnel hints that Olave and Shaheed may command frequent outside targets, while Wilson’s slot role could present a modest bump in targets. For fantasy, the takeaway is clearer usage in the NO offense and a Jaguars backfield that remains fluid, with Bigsby and Etienne likely splitting early-season opportunities but susceptible to in-season shifts based on performance and coaching preferences.

No. 21 in New Orleans has become a rooted symbol of versatility and playmaking, a jersey history that climbs from the franchise’s early corners to modern multi-faceted backs and shutdown corners. Justin Reid currently wears it for the Saints, but the number’s lineage is packed with names who defined the position and era, from John Douglas to Keenan Lewis and Jamaal Williams. The piece layers in Kamara’s notable 2018-20 No. 21 scoring run, Hilliard’s Pro Bowl season, and a string of one-year stints that defined the jersey’s evolving identity.

For fantasy and betting fans, the history underscores how a No. 21 wearer often signals a defensive-minded deputy or a versatile back who can contribute in multiple ways. Reid’s upcoming 2025 role looms as a focal point in a Saints secondary, while earlier No. 21s show how the number has swung between backfield durability and DB-ball hawking. The season opener vs. Arizona adds a fresh lens to examine the 21 jersey’s influence and the Saints’ evolving offensive-backfield or defensive schemes in a marquee Week 1 matchup.

Tyler Shough enters New Orleans in an off-season QB battle, with the Saints banking on his maturity and efficiency as a floor option in a challenging but upgradeable offense. His fantasy ceiling hinges on earning the starting job and sustaining a pass-friendly, screen-heavy attack amid a cast that includes Chris Olave and Kamara, both facing health and age considerations. Projections skew conservative, yet a starting gig could push him into deeper-league QB2 territory in superflex formats.

In 2025, Shough is projected to approach roughly 1,906 passing yards with 11 TD and 8 INT over 17 games, plus about 79 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD. With Olave’s concussion risk and Kamara’s age, the Saints’ weaponry offers volatility, but the offense’s screens-and-bombs profile could yield spot starts if the QB job becomes his. For fantasy managers, Shough represents a low-risk stab with QB2 upside if he wins the job, especially in leagues that reward mobility and consistent volume.

Alvin Kamara enters 2025 with a proven fantasy floor and big-play ceiling, even as the Saints shift to a tougher offensive environment. In 2024 he posted a career-high 950 rushing yards but saw efficiency dip, yet he still finished as the RB5 in PPR thanks to 68 receptions for 500+ yards. The Saints’ new, more fantasy-friendly regime under Moore and Tyler Shough at QB keeps Kamara’s receiving role central, with Devin Neal as a distant touch competitor and Taysom Hill likely out for the season. Kamara’s passing-game value remains the true cheat code in fantasy leagues, especially in full-PPR formats.

The outlook for 2025 leans on Kamara being deployed heavily in the passing game and still getting enough rushing volume to stay relevant. Spotlight Sports Group projects Kamara to play 17 games with 244 rushing attempts for 959 yards and 9 rushing touchdowns, plus 56 receptions on about 72 targets, totaling roughly 385 TD and 261 PPR points. If the Saints approach league-average efficiency and Moore continues to lean into Kamara’s receiving skills, he remains a high-floor RB2 with sneaky upside in championships formats. Aging considerations exist, but Kamara’s role and system support a steady baseline in fantasy rosters.

Brock Purdy tops the sleepers list for 2025 with San Francisco’s soft schedule, followed closely by Bijan Robinson in Atlanta’s run-leaning offense. Ricky Pearsall looks like a late-round pop, and Brenton Strange could become a bargain TE with Jacksonville’s friendly schedule. The piece also highlights CJ Stroud, Alvin Kamara, James Conner, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tetairoa McMillan and Chig Okonkwo as notable honorable mentions, each benefiting from their teams’ favorable early matchups. The core idea: map last year’s data against this year’s projections to find outliers who gain extra value against weak opponents, and exploit SoS to anchor bench and draft-day value.

Laghezza leverages a schedule-grid approach, blending efficiency signals (like Purdy’s +0.17 EPA/dropback, 65.9% completion, 8.5 Y/A, 47.9% throws to sticks) with mid-season workload projections. Indoors and soft early schedules amplify upside for a few players who might otherwise be drafted later. The strategy emphasizes not forcing picks but identifying where a favorable SoS can tilt a mid-round selection into potential league winner territory—particularly at QB, RB, WR, and TE where small sample variance is magnified by schedule.

The spread of targets in SF, the Falcons’ drive for high box-score games for Robinson, Pearsall’s route-heavy role, and Strange’s TE path in Coen’s offense all point to a coherent, schedule-driven plane for early-season rosters. Even as some players carry risk, the SoS edge gives rational paths to upside in standard and best-ball formats, with honorable mentions offering fallback value if early-week usage aligns with projected rhythms.