NEW ORLEANS SAINTS NEWS

Juwan Johnson - Makes toe-tap TD grab Sunday Johnson gathered two of three targets for 26 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 47-10 victory versus the Panthers.

Impact Johnson had one of the standout plays of the game when he made a toe-tapping 16-yard touchdown catch in the right corner of the end zone. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher actually wound up with fewer targets and receptions than fellow tight end Foster Moreau, who caught all four of his targets for 43 yards and a touchdown before exiting with a head injury. Johnson totaled 34 more targets despite playing two fewer games than Moreau last season, and the former was assumed to be the TE1 heading into the season opener. Meanwhile, versatile tight end/quarterback Taysom Hill worked more as a rushing threat out of the backfield Sunday, logging five carries and two targets. Moreau's status is also now up in the air for next Sunday's road game versus Dallas. When he is healthy again, it will be worth monitoring how Moreau, Johnson and Hill are deployed under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak moving forward.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Taysom Hill - Handles rushing-centric role Week 1 Hill recorded five carries for 35 yards posted and caught one of his two targets for one yard during Sunday's 47-10 win versus the Panthers.

Impact Hill worked as the Saints' secondary rushing option to start the game, including a two-yard carry on the team's second play from scrimmage. The 34-year-old finished with four carries and one target in the first quarter, and it seems his playing time dwindled as the game got out of hand down the stretch. Backup running back Jamaal Williams logged more carries (11), but most of his touches came later in the second half when the game had already been essentially decided. Hill's early usage in the rushing game Sunday is a likely indicator of what his role could be under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak this season. It will be worth monitoring if/how his deployment changes when New Orleans faces what should be a much tougher road matchup versus Dallas on Sunday, Sept. 15.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Jamaal Williams - Scores in garbage time Williams notched 11 carries for 38 yards and one touchdown and caught his only target for 13 yards during Sunday's 47-10 win against the Panthers.

Impact Williams logged the final touchdown of the game with a 14-yard score early in the fourth quarter. The 29-year-old brusier primarily just helped salt away this blowout win for New Orleans, as he recorded just three carries for 11 yards in the first half. Meanwhile, Alvin Kamara shouldered the bulk of the workload when the game was still in hand, totaling 15 carries for 83 yards, and Taysom Hill logged four carries for 28 yards while operating as a rushing quarterback in the first half half. Hill is expected to be an even bigger part of the rushing game this season with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, as the 34-year-old spent increased time working with the Saints' runing backs and full backs dutaring training camp and the preseason. So long as Kamara and Hill remain healthy, expect these two to handle the primary rushing duties for the Saints while Williams fills in the gaps behind them.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

NFL Week 1 highlights: Lions beat Rams in overtime; Bears, Bucs secure wins

SEPTEMBER 9

NFL Week 1: What we learned from all 13 games on Sunday

FOX Sports' NFL experts break down what we learned from every game on Sunday and provide analysis on what it means for every NFL team.

SEPTEMBER 9

Chris Olave - Quiet in Sunday's rout Olave caught both his targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 47-10 rout of the Panthers.

Impact The third-year wideout's numbers were a significant disappointment considering the final score, but Derek Carr's three first-half touchdowns went to Rashid Shaheed, Foster Moreau (head) and Juwan Johnson, and the Saints didn't need to pass the ball in the second half with a massive lead. The overall performance of the Saints' offense was still encouraging for Olave's numbers in the long run, and he should still be locked in as the team's top receiver. Olave will likely be a much bigger part of the game plan in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Chris Olave - Quiet in Sunday's rout Olave caught both his targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 47-10 rout of the Panthers.

Impact The third-year wideout's numbers were a significant disappointment considering the final score, but Derek Carr's three first-half touchdowns went to Rashid Shaheed, Foster Moreau (head) and Juwan Johnson, and the Saints didn't need to pass the ball in the second half with a massive lead. The overall performance of the Saints' offense was still encouraging for Olave's numbers in the long run, and he should still be locked in as the team's top receiver. Olave will likely be a much bigger part of the game plan in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Rashid Shaheed - Hauls in long TD in win Shaheed caught three of five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 47-10 win over the Panthers.

Impact The third-year wideout was on the other end of a 59-yard TD pass from Derek Carr in the first quarter, accounting for most of his team high in receiving yards. Shaheed was expected to assume a bigger role in the Saints' offense this year under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and the early returns were excellent. Shaheed will take on a much stingier secondary in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Rashid Shaheed - Hauls in long TD in win Shaheed caught three of five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 47-10 win over the Panthers.

Impact The third-year wideout was on the other end of a 59-yard TD pass from Derek Carr in the first quarter, accounting for most of his team high in receiving yards. Shaheed was expected to assume a bigger role in the Saints' offense this year under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and the early returns were excellent. Shaheed will take on a much stingier secondary in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Alvin Kamara - Piles up yardage in big win Kamara carried the ball 15 times for 83 yards and a touchdown and caught all five of his targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 47-10 win over the Panthers.

Impact The veteran running back didn't get the contract extension he was looking for ahead of the season opener, but Kamara didn't let that affect his performance on the field. He capped his big day with a one-yard TD plunge in the third quarter. Kamara hasn't posted a yards per carry above 4.0 in a season since 2020, but if the Saints' offense is able to keep putting up numbers against tougher opponents, he could be headed for a bounce-back campaign. Kamara will face a much sterner test in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Alvin Kamara - Piles up yardage in big win Kamara carried the ball 15 times for 83 yards and a touchdown and caught all five of his targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 47-10 win over the Panthers.

Impact The veteran running back didn't get the contract extension he was looking for ahead of the season opener, but Kamara didn't let that affect his performance on the field. He capped his big day with a one-yard TD plunge in the third quarter. Kamara hasn't posted better than 4.0 yards per carry in a season since 2020, but if the Saints' offense is able to keep putting up numbers against tougher opponents, he could be headed for a bounce-back campaign. Kamara will face a much sterner test in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Derek Carr - Nearly perfect in Sunday's rout Carr completed 19 of 23 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 47-10 rout of the Panthers. He added 13 rushing yards on two carries.

Impact The Saints absolutely dismantled the visitors, scoring on their first nine drives of the game before finally being forced to punt midway through the fourth quarter. Carr led the way with one of the most efficient performances of his career, hitting Rashid Shaheed for a 59-yard score on New Orleans' first possession before finding Foster Moreau (head) for a three-yard TD late in the first quarter and Juwan Johnson for a 16-yard touchdown just before halftime. Carr's first season with the team was viewed as a disappointment, but new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is off to a flying start in reshaping the attack. However, the unit will face a much tougher test in Week 2 against the Cowboys.

SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE

Broncos celebrate the safety dance in the first half with pair of safeties against the Seahawks

The Denver Broncos scored twice on safeties in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, becoming just the second team since at least 1960 to score on two safeties in a seaso...

SEPTEMBER 8 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Derek Carr and the Saints rout the Panthers 47-10 in Klint Kubiak's play-calling debut

Derek Carr passed for three touchdowns and the New Orleans Saints scored on their first nine possessions in a 47-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers

SEPTEMBER 8 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Foster Moreau - Suffers head injury Sunday Moreau won't return to Sunday's game versus the Panthers due to a head injury, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports.

Impact Moreau made a visit to the sideline tent in the fourth quarter before the Saints made a ruling on his status. He'll thus finish Week 1 with four catches (on four targets) for 43 yards and one touchdown. His target count surprisingly was ahead of fellow TEs Juwan Johnson (three) and Taysom Hill (two), but assuming he entered the concussion protocol, Moreau will need to complete its five steps in order to be cleared for his next game action.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Marshon Lattimore - Questionable to return Lattimore (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Panthers, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Impact The cornerback made two solo tackles before exiting. Kool-Aid McKinstry replaced Lattimore, per Underhill.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Lucas Patrick - Will not return Patrick (toe) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Panthers, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

Impact Patrick went down early in the second half and was replaced by Nick Saldiveri, who will continue filling in at left guard.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Lucas Patrick - Questionable to return Patrick (toe) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Panthers, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Impact Nick Saldiveri is the next man up at left guard for the Saints. Patrick signed a one-year deal with New Orleans in the offseason after starting 15 of the 16 games he played in for Chicago in 2023.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Willie Gay - Suiting up Sunday Gay (back) is active Sunday against the Panthers.

Impact Gay logged limited practice sessions all week but ultimately feels well enough to suit up for Week 1's divisional matchup. The Mississippi State product should get the start at strongside linebacker for New Orleans.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Spencer Rattler - Available in emergency Rattler (coach's decision) is inactive Sunday against the Panthers, but he'll still suit up as the team's emergency third quarterback.

Impact Rattler was considered a co-backup with Jake Haener to Derek Carr, but it will be Haener officially handling the backup role in Week 1.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

A.T. Perry - Sitting out Sunday Perry (hand) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Panthers, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.

Impact Perry wasn't included on the Saints' first Week 1 injury report Wednesday, but a hand injury kept him out of drills entirely the next two days, resulting in a questionable designation ahead of the weekend. Per Hendrix, Perry wasn't seen during warmups, which signaled that he may not be available, and such an outcome has come to pass. With Perry sidelined, Cedrick Wilson should be the primary No. 3 WR for New Orleans behind starters Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

SEPTEMBER 8 • ROTOWIRE