Saints slip to 0-2 after a 26-21 loss to San Francisco, stalling late on a critical fourth-and-2. Spencer Rattler guided New Orleans with three TD passes, but the comeback bid fell short as the defense allowed a late scoring drive. Kamara piled up 99 rushing yards, while Juwan Johnson, Rashid Shaheed, and Devaughn Vele each found the end zone. Penalties and a stout 49ers defense muddied the Saints’ chances, leaving fantasy managers weighing Week 3 faith in the offense.

Rattler finished 25-of-34 for 207 yards with 3 TDs and a fumble, Kamara carved out a reliable 99 yards on 21 carries with 6 receptions, and Shaheed plus Vele provided splash plays in a balanced attack. Demario Davis anchored the defense with 11 tackles as Carl Granderson added 2 sacks. The Saints head to Seattle hoping to rebound behind a hopeful offensive rhythm and improved red-zone execution.

Week 1 kickoff returns surged to 75.6%, the highest single-week rate in 15 years, after the 35-yard touchback shift. Jeff Rodgers’ bold 70%+ forecast nailed the opening month, signaling a renewed emphasis on returns as teams chase field-position upside. In Arizona’s win over New Orleans, Chad Ryland kicked off five times and every kickoff was returned, while Blake Grupe produced one Saints touchback in four attempts, with three returns. Expect fantasy relevance to rise for return units and associated players as the season unfolds.

Return-heavy openings could tilt early-season rosters toward specialists who touch the ball on kickoffs. As teams experiment with aggressive return strategies, fantasy managers should monitor which players gain opportunities, and how kickers and returners influence scoring in leagues that reward return plays.

Saints preseason finale left fantasy managers with questions. Tyler Shough’s rookie upside vs. Spencer Rattler’s bid, and kicker duels that produced nearly all Saints points in a 28-19 loss to Denver.

Shough’s mobility and decision-making offer upside; Rattler’s ceiling keeps him in the mix. Grupe’s leg and Smyth’s accuracy loom large in camp notes, shaping how rosters are built once practices ramp up.

Blake Grupe leads Saints countdown to kickoff with the Week 1 opener vs. Arizona looming in 19 days. No. 19 has emerged as a trusted weapon for New Orleans, fresh off a rookie season that mixed boom-or-bust moments with clear range and leg strength. He was undrafted in 2023, beat out Wil Lutz, and then leaned into big kicks from beyond 50 yards—six makes, longest 57—in 2024 while escalating his kickoff power. Yet competition remains alive with Charlie Smyth nipping at his heels, keeping Grupe’s spot honest as New Orleans aims to maximize every opportunity in a potentially unsettled offensive start. Grupe’s consistency and clutch range could be the Saints’ best chance to rack up points early, especially if drives stall in the opening weeks against a defensively capable Cardinals squad.

Grupe’s journey from Missouri’s Smith-Cotton to Arkansas State and Notre Dame, then into the NFL as an undrafted free agent, underscores a profile built on power and improving accuracy. A late-season 46-yard miss at Green Bay in his rookie year haunted a playoff-clinching tie-breaker, but his 2024 numbers told a different story: clean extra points, 87.1% field goals, and a reliable long-range tool that should keep Saints fans optimistic about their scoring ceiling in the early going. With the offense expected to be dynamic enough to threaten from inside the red zone, Grupe’s leg could become the difference-maker in a few nail-biters, especially in a home opener against Arizona where every three points count.

As New Orleans leans on Grupe’s range to put points on the board, fantasy managers should watch the Week 1 setup closely. If the offense stalls, Grupe could become a high-floor, high-ceiling kicker play early in the season, offering steady points from field goals and occasional multi-kick games. His performance will also shape how aggressively the Saints deploy him in tight spots—whether as a weekly staple in standard leagues or a risk-reward option in deeper formats.