The New Orleans Saints will face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Is Marquez Valdes-Scantling Playing in Week 13?
Valdes-Scantling is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.
We’ll continue to monitor the Saints’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Marquez Valdes-Scantling in Week 13?
Valdes-Scantling has 101 regular season games on his NFL resume. This is just the second time he’s cleared 15 PPR fantasy points in consecutive games despite spending his career, before these three games with the Saints, playing with Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen. The only other instance came in Weeks 9-10 of the 2020 season — his next three game totals:
- 90 routes
- Eight targets
- Three catches
- 8.5 PPR fantasy points
The word “regression” doesn’t do this profile justice. The tricky part, of course, is settling on when the inevitable cliff comes. MVS has a 65-yard catch in consecutive games and the last player to do that in three straight was Tyreek Hill in 2018 with the Chiefs. I think it’s safe to say that Valdes-Scantling is not in that tier of receiver. But on the bright side, his role is trending in the right direction.
Valdes-Scantling’s snap shares with the Saints:
- Week 9 at Carolina Panthers: 43.2%
- Week 10 vs. Atlanta Falcons: 53.8%
- Week 11 vs. Cleveland Browns: 65.5%
That said, this Rams defense excels at creating pressure, and it doesn’t take a data scientist to tell you that such a matchup makes those deep routes difficult to connect on. He gets the benefit of playing on turf, which can amplify his straight-line speed, but without the benefit of any teams being on a bye this week, the odds of you having four receivers that I rank more favorably are high.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 13 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 13
As of 8 AM ET on Sunday morning, Valdes-Scantling is projected to score 10.3 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 3.4 receptions for 54.4 yards and 0.2 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
PFN Insight on the Giants' Defense
It's been a bad month for the New York Giants' defense. In their last four games, they've ranked no higher than 14th and been inside the bottom 10 twice.
Against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, New York ranked 15th, despite facing an offense that ranks outside the top 20. Having been ranked outside the top 20 just twice in the first eight weeks, the Giants have been ranked that low twice in the last four games.
The trend with this defense in the last four contests has been dips in production correlated to a lack of pressure. The recent numbers have been stark, with the pass defense struggling massively in the last month. Their other metrics haven't dropped off significantly, but three games in four without a sack has taken its toll on the defense.
The drop-off in sacks in recent weeks may be a case of regression taking its effect. This has been a top-two team in sack rate most of this season despite ranking outside the top 10 consistently when it comes to getting pressure without blitzing. At some point, one of those two numbers had to change, and it's been the sack rate that has suffered.
This is concerning for a defense that hasn't ranked inside the top half of the league since Brian Daboll took over. They are on a path to finish close to last year's 25th spot, and with the offense also struggling, that is a recipe for disaster.
For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:40 AM ET on Sunday, December 8. If you're in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.
Week 14 WR PPR Rankings
1) Ja'Marr Chase | CIN (at DAL)
2) A.J. Brown | PHI (at CAR)
3) Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs. ATL)
4) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (at GB)
5) Puka Nacua | LAR (vs. MIN)
6) Cooper Kupp | LAR (vs. MIN)
7) Mike Evans | TB (vs. LV)
8) Tee Higgins | CIN (at DAL)
9) CeeDee Lamb | DAL (vs. CIN)
10) Tyreek Hill | MIA (vs. NYJ)
11) Drake London | ATL (at MIN)
12) Ladd McConkey | LAC (at KC)
13) DK Metcalf | SEA (at ARI)
14) Calvin Ridley | TEN (vs. JAX)
15) Davante Adams | NYJ (at MIA)
16) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (at ARI)
17) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (at MIA)
18) Malik Nabers | NYG (vs. NO)
19) Jayden Reed | GB (vs. DET)
20) Jakobi Meyers | LV (at TB)
21) DJ Moore | CHI (at SF)
22) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (vs. SEA)
23) Jauan Jennings | SF (vs. CHI)
24) Khalil Shakir | BUF (at LAR)
25) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (at PIT)
26) DeVonta Smith | PHI (at CAR)
27) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (at TEN)
28) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (vs. NYJ)
29) Keenan Allen | CHI (at SF)
30) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (vs. LAC)
31) Jameson Williams | DET (at GB)
32) Darnell Mooney | ATL (at MIN)
33) Amari Cooper | BUF (at LAR)
34) Jordan Addison | MIN (vs. ATL)
35) Adam Thielen | CAR (vs. PHI)
36) Rome Odunze | CHI (at SF)
37) Xavier Worthy | KC (vs. LAC)
38) Elijah Moore | CLE (at PIT)
39) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (vs. CHI)
40) Michael Wilson | ARI (vs. SEA)
41) Xavier Legette | CAR (vs. PHI)
42) Christian Watson | GB (vs. DET)
43) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (vs. JAX)
44) Parker Washington | JAX (at TEN)
45) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (at LAR)
46) Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG (vs. NO)
47) Calvin Austin III | PIT (vs. CLE)
48) Quentin Johnston | LAC (at KC)
49) Joshua Palmer | LAC (at KC)
50) Tyler Lockett | SEA (at ARI)
51) David Moore | CAR (vs. PHI)
52) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (vs. MIN)
53) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (at MIN)
54) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (vs. DET)
55) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (vs. LAC)
56) Keon Coleman | BUF (at LAR)
57) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (vs. CIN)
58) Tre Tucker | LV (at TB)
59) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (vs. CIN)
60) Sterling Shepard | TB (vs. LV)
61) Jalen McMillan | TB (vs. LV)
62) Tyler Boyd | TEN (vs. JAX)
63) Curtis Samuel | BUF (at LAR)
64) Darius Slayton | NYG (vs. NO)
65) Brandin Cooks | DAL (vs. CIN)
66) Tim Patrick | DET (at GB)
67) Odell Beckham Jr. | MIA (vs. NYJ)
68) Van Jefferson | PIT (vs. CLE)
69) Mack Hollins | BUF (at LAR)
70) Tutu Atwell | LAR (vs. MIN)
71) Mike Williams | PIT (vs. CLE)
72) Justin Watson | KC (vs. LAC)
73) Jalen Nailor | MIN (vs. ATL)
74) Jahan Dotson | PHI (at CAR)
75) Ricky Pearsall | SF (vs. CHI)
76) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (at DAL)
77) Jermaine Burton | CIN (at DAL)
78) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (at NYG)
79) Bo Melton | GB (vs. DET)
80) Jamari Thrash | CLE (at PIT)
81) Malik Washington | MIA (vs. NYJ)
82) Jalen Reagor | LAC (at KC)
83) Greg Dortch | ARI (vs. SEA)
84) Devin Duvernay | JAX (at TEN)
85) Cedrick Wilson Jr. | NO (at NYG)
86) Allen Lazard | NYJ (at MIA)
New Orleans Saints at New York Giants Trends
New Orleans Saints
Team: The Saints scored 91 points through the season's first two weeks. Three months ago, would you have believed that they would be held under 15 points in five of 10 games since?
QB: Over his past three games, Derek Carr has been 15-of-19 against the blitz for 240 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions (the Giants have led the league in blitz rate since Week 8).
Offense: On Sunday, the Saints reached the red zone on two of eight drives. They are 0-4 this season when they enter the opponents’ 20-yard line on 25% or fewer of their possessions.
Defense: The percentage of passes in which New Orleans allows a first down is steadily on the rise over their past four games: 30.8% to 31.6% to 36.2% to 37.5% on Sunday against the Rams.
Fantasy: Marquez Valdes-Scantling has seen 69.8% of his PPR production this season come on touchdown receptions, plays that have an average depth of target of 21.5 yards.
Betting: Five of the Saints’ past six road games have been decided, for better or worse, by at least eight points.
New York Giants
Team: The Giants have lost seven straight, but three of the past four have come by seven or fewer points.
QB: No one is suggesting that Drew Lock is a franchise building block, but he did complete eight-of-12 passes last week when pressured.
Offense: The Giants averaged 51.1 yards per drive against the Commanders in the Week 9 loss, but it’s been downhill since: 29.2 in Week 10, 24.9 in Week 12, and 18.3 in Week 13 (their second lowest rate of the season).
Defense: The Giants have failed to record a single sack in consecutive games (and in three of their past four).
Fantasy: Malik Nabers recorded his seventh double-digit target game of the season – the volume is a must-have, not a nice to have, given the lack of quality play under center in New York. Just twice this season has Nabers produced over expectations, two instances that both came in September.
Betting: Overs are 6-1 in New York’s past seven home games.