Who are the best players on the New Orleans Saints’ roster? Their performance in Week 1’s dramatic road win over the Atlanta Falcons helped give us an idea about the pecking order, and create an opportunity to highlight those who shined brightest. It’s also a good time to consider who needs to shake back in the games ahead after a rough start to the season.
The biggest risers in our Saints player power rankings were linebacker Pete Werner (+6) as well as wide receiver Michael Thomas (+3) and safety Marcus Maye (+3), while the biggest faller among those returning from Week 1’s ranking was defensive tackle David Onyemata (-6). The Saints defensive line was pushed around a bit on running downs and struggled to pressure Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota, and it appears our panel leveled much of the blame on Onyemata as the most prominent interior lineman.
But four players who made the cut last week didn’t repeat after the Falcons game: cornerback Bradley Roby (17), defensive back P.J. Williams (22), left tackle James Hurst (24), and right guard Cesar Ruiz (25). They were replaced by newcomers including safety Justin Evans (18), tight ends Taysom Hill (20) and Juwan Johnson (21), and linebacker Kaden Elliss (23). It makes sense given Roby’s issues in pass coverage against a weak Falcons receiving corps and the pressure that Jameis Winston faced early and often.
Let’s dig into the full list going into Week 2: