How to watch, what to watch for Saints vs. Lions in Week 4

The New Orleans Saints will look to get right this Sunday against the Detroit Lions after back-to-back defeats on national television. Despite running back Alvin Kamara compiling nearly half of the Saints’ 397 scrimmage yards, they fell to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night and to 1-2 on the season in a 37-30 defeat.

The Lions’ season is kind of a mirror image of the Saints. After losing their first two games, they came away with a win versus the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. And while the Saints are still likely to be without their top wideout, Michael Thomas, Detroit welcomed back its go-to receiver, Kenny Golladay, after he missed the first two weeks due to a hamstring injury.

TV Info

Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
Time: 1 p.m. EST
Channel: FOX
Broadcast map

Notable Statistical rankings (Football Outsiders)

Saints: 21st vs. Pass, 6th vs. Rush
Lions: 16th vs. Pass, 29th vs. Rush

DraftKings Sportsbook odds

Saints: -4, -200
Lions: +4, +175
Total: 54

Injury report

Saints

OUT: TE Jared Cook (groin), DE Marcus Davenport (elbow, toe), CB Janoris Jenkins (shoulder), CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), G Andrus Peat (ankle), WR Michael Thomas (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE: LB Chase Hansen (hip)

Lions

OUT: S C.J. Moore (calf)

QUESTIONABLE: TE Hunter Bryant (hamstring), DE Da’Shawn Hand (chest), LB Christian Jones (knee), CB Darryl Roberts (hip), CB Desmond Trufant (hamstring)

Fantasy football start/sit advice

Saints

Drew Brees, Quarterback, $5,800

Brees was extremely conservative on Sunday night, checking down to Kamara on 14 of his 30 attempts versus the Packers. That game plan might not change with Thomas likely inactive again, but he has a fairly easy matchup against a Lions defense that has permitted seven passing scores through three games, including three to Mitchell Trubisky in the season opener. His DraftKings price has decreased yet again, making him the 16th-most expensive QB on the board.

Emmanuel Sanders, Wide Receiver, $4,800

Sanders burned his fantasy owners in Week 2 with a one-catch, 18-yard showing. He sort of made up for it last week as he got into the end zone and caught four of five targets. Besides Thomas, the Saints may also be without tight end Jared Cook, who suffered a groin injury in Week 3. As New Orleans’ receiving options continue to fall, Sanders’ odds for solid fantasy production rise. He is $200 cheaper than teammate Tre’Quan Smith on DraftKings.

Lions

Kenny Golladay, Wide Receiver, $6,000

Golladay was somewhat limited in his season debut, as expected, but 48 snaps is an encouraging total. Better yet, he apparently came out of the Arizona game without aggravating his hamstring, so expect the reins to be off of him in Week 4. He corralled six of seven targets Sunday for 57 yards and a leaping touchdown. He looked like his normal self on the field, which means you should be ready to fire him up going forward.

Adrian Peterson, Running Back, $4,700

Peterson touched the ball 23 times against the Cardinals. His backfield mates, Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift, got five touches combined. No one should expect Peterson to be the Lions’ workhorse for the entire season, but that’s how he was treated in Week 3. Only Josh Jacobs has topped 70 rushing yards against the Saints this season, yet Peterson’s current usage means he is a safe-floor flex option.