Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
John Sigler

Saints’ QB-RB-WR trio ranked among NFL’s best

The New Orleans Saints might just win the triple crown. NFL.com Next Gen Stats analyst Keegan Abdoo shared his rankings for the league’s best triplets, comparing every team’s combination of starting quarterback, running back, and No. 1 wide receiver against each other.

And there’s a lot to like in New Orleans. The Saints’ new signal-caller Derek Carr is expected to form a nice combo with second-year wideout Chris Olave, with Alvin Kamara hoping to return from suspension and take on a major role offensively.

Buy Saints Tickets

Abdoo ranked the Saints’ trio at No. 9 overall, putting them in rare company. Here’s why he’s so high on Carr, Kamara, and Olave:

“Carr offers a definite upgrade over Andy Dalton, who started 14 games for New Orleans in 2022. The former Raider averaged 9.3 air yards per attempt last season (fourth most in the NFL) and should be able to continue to push the ball down the field with a promising receiving corps. Olave is already a star; he joined elite company as just the fourth rookie receiver to average over 2.5 yards per route since 2016, joining A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. If Michael Thomas isn’t always available this fall, Rashid Shaheed has home run ability with his blazing speed, and rookie A.T. Perry looked strong during the preseason. Once Kamara returns from his three-game suspension, he will be able to turn Carr’s checkdowns into positive plays with his elusiveness in the open field.”

Yeah, that’s a nice picture he’s painted. And it’s got the Saints ranking among among some of the most-hyped offenses in the NFL including three of the top four playoff seeds (the San Francisco 49ers have fallen to No. 14 with second-year quarterback Brock Purdy expected to look more like Trevor Siemian than Tom Brady now that teams have some game tape to study).

Hopefully everything goes according to plan. The Saints’ triplets are ranked above their rivals in the NFC South by a country mile — for as much momentum as the Atlanta Falcons have built through the offseason, they’re still short a proven quarterback, and it has them in a very distant second-place at No. 22 behind New Orleans. We’ll see if everyone can meet expectations in just a few weeks.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.