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Ask the Experts

ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly, with answers to a new question being posted every Thursday morning.

How the guest experts responded when we asked them:

Is there any hope for the New Orleans Saints' struggling offensive stars?

DEAN RAMSAY

I believe there is hope they can turn things around. It's not quite time to panic yet for the Saints. They do however need to establish the run more to help set up the pass. Something they have not been able to do the first two weeks of the season. They have been playing from behind early which doesn't help matters. Looking at the rest of their schedule, if they turn things around they might go 9-7 and still have a shot at the playoffs. The Saints just need to mix things up a bit with some more hard-nosed running. I have my fingers crossed as I have Brees in one of my leagues.

Ramsay is the senior analyst for draftchamps.com. Draft Champs has been providing custom cheat sheets and value-based draft guides to the fantasy football community since 2003. For more info, visit www.draftchamps.com.

STEVEN LASSAN

There is hope for the Saints offense, but after two games - I'd be seriously concerned. I think everyone expected some type of drop-off for Sean Payton and his team, especially when you consider the league had a full year of gametape on them and they weren't sneaking up on anyone. The lack of a number two receiver is hurting Marques Colston and the team doesn't seem willing to let the combination of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush get going. I think it's too early in the year to panic if you have Saints' players on your roster, but I'd be cautious and worried. After week 5 if things aren't getting any better - I would hit the panic button.

Lassan is a senior staff writer for Pro Fantasy Sports. For more info, visit the websites www.profantasysports.com and www.fswa.org.

DEREK VAN RIPER

I'm not ready to give up entirely on the Saints, other than Devery Henderson, who has been absolutely terrible thus far. It really looks like David Patten has emerged as the No. 2 WR, while Eric Johnson will take away plenty of looks as a capable tight end. As far as Brees, Bush and McAllister go, I think they're going to be fine once they're able to re-establish the running game and open thing downfield with the pass.

VanRiper is an editor for RotoWire.com and is entering his third season with the company. His weekly column "Moving the Chains" is syndicated at FoxSports.com, while his other duties at RotoWire include tracking Average Draft Position and managing the team defense and offensive line rankings. He's also worked as a Contributing Reporter on Yahoo! Sports' Fantasy Football Live Webcast on Sunday mornings.

NICHOLAS MINNIX

It's easy to forget that, last season, quarterback Drew Brees and Co. weren't considered major fantasy commodities right away. Brees averaged 247 yards passing per game in the first five weeks, with a total of five touchdown passes and two interceptions. Eventual star back Reggie Bush averaged 84 total yards but had yet to break the plane of the end zone. The Saints' schedule is a bit tougher this year, and they have faced a pair of Cover 2 defenses that perhaps weren't given enough credit early on. There's reason to be worried, for sure, especially if defenses have figured them out. New Orleans still has a wealth of offensive talent, though. To think that their skill position players will be complete busts seems a little hasty.

KFFL offers football as well as baseball content and has captured over a dozen expert league championships. Founded in 1996, this company offers daily news, preseason draft guides, player rankings, sleepers, busts, weekly newsletters and more. KFFL also provides fantasy content to various organizations including SportsTicker and Yahoo! Sports. For more information, visit http://www.kffl.com/ .

IAN ALLAN

I still expect that to be a top-10 offense — maybe top 5. They’ve got a bunch of good players, and they’ve got the right coaching staff as well. They’ve just had a couple of tough games, playing good teams on the road. The Indianapolis defense, while it was woefully soft last year, looks pretty good so far, and Tampa Bay’s defense appears to be an above-average group — playing them at Raymond James isn’t a walk in the park. As sharp as Drew Brees looked in the preseason, and as well as he’s played in recent years, I still expect him to be a top-5 quarterback. With Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, you’ve got the committee deal, but they’re both valuable backs. Bush will catch 75-plus balls. And Colston could still be a top-10 receiver. I’m not giving up on these guys.

Allan is the senior writer for Fantasy Football Index magazine. He’s also one of the main content contributors for that company’s website, www.fantasyindex.com. His IAN ALLAN’S MAILBAG column is posted on Tuesdays and Fridays.

BRIAN SWAW

I am not worried about the Saints offense just yet; they played two road games so far and they started off slow the first month of last season before turning it around offensively. Monday night at home vs. Tennessee will be the real test for Brees and company. One thing is evident; on offense they need to get Reggie Bush more than 12-15 touches a game in order to open up both the passing and running game. Getting the ball in Bush’s hands and moving him around all over the field is what HC Sean Payton did last year and they need to do the same in 2007 if they want to get their offense going. I am keeping the faith for a few more weeks and so should each of you.

Swaw is senior writer and owner of GameTimeDecisions.net and the co-host of two fantasy football radio shows for ESPN AM 1000 in Chicago -- Fantasy Football Island and Fantasy Expert. He has been a keynote speaker for the FSTA and several fantasy football conventions with the likes of John Clayton, Chris Mortensen, Sean Salisbury and Mark Schlereth. For more info, visit www.gametimedecisions.net.

SCOTT ENDSLEY

To the disappointment of many fantasy owners, the Saints offensive threats have not produced. The key is to see how the team responds returning home to the Superdome. After week 3, they have a bye week, then another home game. If they can't start scoring after 4 games, owners may consider starting other players.

Endsley is co-owner and a senior fantasy football consultant for FantasyDraftEdge.com. For more info, go to www.fantasydraftedge.com.

PATRICK GLEESING

Just two years ago the Saints were a basement team. Last year they made some wonderful free agent and draft moves; coupled with the sympathy and emotion of Hurricane Katrina they rose through the muddled parity of the current NFL. Now, they ran into two teams that use Cover Two defenses and that caused Brees fits. The level of talent drops off quickly after the marquee players. Last year Bush was allowed to grow organically within the offense; this year they are forcing the play to him. The Saints have a brutal schedule and will struggle, but, in the end the stars will get theirs.

Gleesing is the owner and senior writer for fantasyfootballdrafthub.com. He can be reached at patrick@fantasyfootballdrafthub.com. For more info, visit his website at www.fantasyfootballdrafthub.com.

JEFFREY KAMYS

Only six teams have scored fewer points. They’re 19th in rush yards, 17th in pass yards. Deuce McAllister has 20 carries for 87 yards. Reggie Bush has 22 for 65. Drew Brees has a 66.4 QB rating. would-be/should-be breakout receiver Devery Henderson has 3 receptions for 34 yards. Only Marques Colston hasn’t been a Complete bust so far, with 14 receptions for 117 yards and a TD. The running game is absolutely vital to this team. Fact is, the Saints have a defense that’s probably the second-best in the state, after LSU. They need to control the clock, move the chains and keep their defense off the field. So far, they’ve failed miserably at this; they fail to establish the running game early, they fall behind, and then they have to throw to catch up. Only thing is, it’s harder to throw when the defense knows you’re going to throw. Sean Payton’s a good coach, and you have to assume he’s trying to figure out how to better establish the running game early in the game. And it should happen; don’t give up on these guys yet. But by the same token, if these offensive woes persist against a very ordinary Tennessee defense, consider sitting your Saints until things improve.

Kamys is president of Dr. Stats Fantasy Sports. His company, via the web, offers player news, injury reports, cheat sheets, projections, weekly matchups, statistics, and a customized team tracker. Dr. Stats Fantasy Sports also e-mails preseason newsletters and reports throughout the season. For more info visit www.docstats.com or send e-mail to webmaster@docstats.com.

TOM KESSENICH

I believe there is. They've obviously killed their owners in the first two weeks - although Colston hasn't been terrible - but I think things will pick up starting in Week 3. Playing at home against a suspect Tennessee team should help invigorate the Saints and I expect to see them come out with more emotion and quickly get into an offensive rhythm. I would be shocked if they didn't deliver nicely in this matchup.

Kessenich is the managing editor of Fantasy Sports Magazine, which began publishing in 1989. Editor Greg Ambrosius is the founder of the National Fantasy Football Championship, the industry's first multi-city, high-stakes event with a $100,000 grand prize. Ambrosius also founded the Fantasy Sports Trade Conference and was the FSTA president from 2002-2006. For more information on the NFFC, go to www.fantasyfootballchampionship.com.

ANDY RICHARDSON

Well, I do think they were a bit overrated. Most assumed that Bush's strong finish last year would be exactly the way he'd be this year, when maybe it was more realistic that the overall season was his high end this year, too. The defense is terrible, and that will hurt McAllister -- he won't play as much when the team is down two scores. And maybe Colston really is the only good receiver here. I think all these players will be better than they've been so far, but I have serious doubts whether any will be as good as expected, or where they were drafted.

Richardson has been a columnist and contributor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and web site for the past six years. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections, as well as various site features. He has run the magazine's annual draft and auction leagues since their inception. Other writing credits have included FFToday.com and football coverage for newspapers in Colorado and Florida. For more information go to www.fantasyindex.com.

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