This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
I took Alvin Kamara with the sixth overall pick in the NFFC Primetime right after he got an epidural in his back and was squabbling with the Saints over a contract extension. I'm sure glad I did. What a point-producing machine!
- Kamara had 13 carries for 79 yards and two scores while catching all nine of his targets for 95 yards. And he barely took a hit. With Christian McCaffrey out 4-6 weeks, Kamara is the No. 1 overall fantasy player right now. And you had to love the garbage time tack-on catches on the game's last two plays.
- Drew Brees had 312 yards and 8.2 YPA, but it was mostly dink and dunk, he threw a terrible pick and missed some throws. He looks old and rusty right now.
- Tre-Quan Smith (7-5-86) made a few nice grabs and broke tackles after the catch. The Year 3 WR looked a lot better and more integrated into the offense than Emmanuel Sanders with Michael Thomas out.
- Josh Jacobs (27-88-0, 3-317) ran hard and broke tackles, but the Saints run defense is tough. As long as he's healthy, Jacobs should be a first-round-worthy pick.
- Derek Carr spread the ball around to 11 different receivers, but Darren Waller (16-12-103-1) is far and away their best pass catcher. Maybe Hunter Renfrow, Bryan Edwards or Henry Ruggs will be startable at some point, but we're not there yet.
- Sean Payton knows how to design an offense, but his 4th-and-7 punt, down seven, from the Raiders 47, with 12:24 left was moronic and arguably cost them the game.
