Once Drew Brees retired, fans and fantasy football managers alike awaited news of who would be the heir to the future Hall-of-Famer in New Orleans, with Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill competing for that right throughout training camp and the preseason.
Winston won the job, but his season came to an unfortunate end after he suffered a torn ACL and damaged his MCL in Week 8 against the Bucs. And with Hill still in the concussion protocol, the Saints had to turn to Trevor Siemian to secure their win.
Hill would be the presumed starter this week, but he's still waiting to clear the concussion protocol. Should he start for the Saints, though, should he also start for your fantasy football squads? Our analysts weigh in on his potential fantasy value and how much of your Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) to spend to roster him this week.
Taysom Hill Fantasy Outlook
Sean Koerner
Hill is worth a speculative add after Jameis Winston's season-ending injury. However, we are still unsure if Sean Payton will go with Trevor Siemian or Hill as the team's starter going forward. That uncertainly is cause for concern, but there's a very good chance Hill is New Orlean's starter for the rest of the season — especially after he battled Winston for the job in the preseason. His rushing upside gives him low-end QB1 upside, and he could become a long-term solution at QB if you are still streaming every week.
If you are looking for a one-week rental because Tom Brady is on a bye or are unwilling to bid 10%+ of your FAAB to acquire Hill, you can try to snag Tua Tagovailoa (36% rostered), who has a great matchup this week against the Texans. Check my up-to-the-minute rankings here to see who the highest-ranked available QB is in your league before making a final Week 9 streamer decision.
When it comes to your FAAB, I'd consider bidding 20-30% to roster Hill depending on your team needs — don't be afraid to bid on the higher end if you are desperate at the position.
Samantha Previte
Hill was inactive for the Week 8 matchup against the Buccaneers while in the concussion protocol, which actually forced the Saints to turn to Trevor Siemian after Jameis Winston suffered his season-ending ACL/MCL injury. Now, Hill will likely be named the Week 9 starter.
If Hill gets the start over Siemian this week, he'll be greeted with a plush matchup against Atlanta's highly exploitable defense, though Hill could be much more than a one-week fill-in. His rushing and versatility offer significant upside as a fantasy asset for the rest of the season.
Hill is the highest-priority QB add in my Week 9 breakdown of the waiver wire market.
Chris Raybon
Hill is worth a bench stash — not only because he's a high-upside starting QB, but because he always finds a way to score fantasy points as a receiver or running back.
However, his chances of starting right away aren't looking great. Sean Payton said "we'll see" when asked about his availability for this week against Atlanta, and it is unlikely Hill is named the starter with anything less than a full week of practice, especially after Trevor Siemian led the Saints to an upset win over the Bucs.
I wouldn't bid more than 15-20% of your FAAB on Hill given the uncertainty and surplus at the position.
