Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Valdes-Scantling is currently the Saints' No. 1 WR so this is a concerning development. The volatile field-stretcher has been absent through two Week 16 practices and is currently on the wrong side of questionable for Monday night.

Saints WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught just two passes in Sunday's loss to the Commanders. But he did so on a team-high 7 targets. MVS hit halftime with 0 catches on 3 targets but then logged 2 receptions among 4 targets for 64 yards in the second half, after New Orleans switched from QB Jake Haener to Spencer Rattler.

Valdes-Scantling didn't make his first catch until the third quarter when Spencer Rattler ripped a laser over the middle of the field to MVS for a 39-yard gain. He would later haul in a 25-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to help setup a Blake Grupe field goal, but the veteran field-stretcher was largely held in check despite seeing a team-high seven targets in the defeat. Valdes-Scantling won't have any fantasy upside in Week 16 against the Packers.

Olave is eligible to be activated from injured reserve, but the Saints are nearing the end of a lost season and he has a lengthy concussion history. There's no reason to rush him back for a few meaningless games. We still expect him to miss the remainder of the season, though Rizzi didn't rule him out for the year just yet. Marquez Valdes-Scantling will continue to operate as the Saints' top receiver for at least one more week.

The seven yards were actually a new season high, but today was the first time in four weeks MVS failed to find the end zone. The really bad news is that Derek Carr appears to have suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Valdes-Scantling was already a dicey WR4 with the veteran QB. With Jake Haener, MVS couldn't really be justified inside the top 50.