6 Saints players who must step up amid COVID challenges in Week 16

6 Saints who must step up amid COVID challenges in Week 16, via @KadeKistner:

The New Orleans Saints are hosting the Miami Dolphins in the Caesars Superdome on Monday Night Football. However, due to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases, there are now 21 Saints players slated to miss Monday night’s matchup.

Both of the top two Saints quarterbacks, Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian, will be absent from the game prompting rookie Ian Book to receive the starting nod. So will members of the supporting case in tight ends Juwan Johnson and Adam Trautman, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and wide receiver Deonte Harris. On the defensive side of the ball, all three starting linebackers in Demario Davis, Kwon Alexander, and Kaden Elliss will all be absent after landing on the COVID-19 reserve list..

Those are a lot of playmakers that New Orleans will be down come Monday night, which means that once again, the Saints will have to rely on the next man up. Here are six players that will have to step up and make an impact against the Dolphins in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.