The New Orleans Saints announced on Thursday that rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will make the start on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. This was the expected decision from the Saints after they benched Jake Haener for Rattler in the Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders. Derek Carr (concussion, hand) is unlikely to play again this year, especially with the Saints unlikely to make the playoffs, so Rattler should start each of the team's final three games of the season. The 24-year-old almost led the Saints to a remarkable comeback against Washington last Sunday, going 10-for-21 for 135 yards and a touchdown. In three starts earlier in 2024, the rookie out of South Carolina completed 59.6% of his passes with a touchdown and two picks. He'll have a tough matchup in Green Bay, and with the lack of weapons around him, he'll be a low-end QB2 play, at best, in fantasy.
Dec 19, 2024 3:47 PM EST
The New Orleans Saints brought in quarterback Spencer Rattler to replace spot starter Jake Haener at halftime of Sunday's game against the Commanders. Haener proved ineffective in the first half, going 4-for-10 for 40 pass yards and one interception, and losing 29 yards on three sacks. After coming in, Rattler went 10-for-21 for 135 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown pass went to tight end Foster Moreau as the game clock expired, bringing the Saints within one point of the Commanders. His pass on the ensuing two-point conversion was wide of intended target Juwan Johnson's reach and New Orleans ended up losing 20-19. Rattler did seem more poised in the pocket than Haener but many of his throws were off the mark, as was the case during his three-game stretch as the Saints' starter earlier this season. It is too soon to tell which of the two backups will start in Week 16 if Derek Carr (concussion, hand) remains sidelined. Neither should be considered an option in the second round of the fantasy playoffs.
Dec 16, 2024 1:22 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener was benched and replaced by Spencer Rattler during halftime on Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Assuming his day is done, Haener finishes Week 15 having completed just four of 10 passes for 49 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He also took three sacks and rushed for seven yards. Haener was inserted into the offense this week with Derek Carr (hand, concussion) injured, but evidently, interim head coach Darren Rizzi had seen enough after just two quarters. The offense will belong to Rattler, a rookie, during the second half as the Saints look to overcome a 17-point deficit. Even if Rattler wins the starting job heading into Week 16, he'll still be a mid-to-low QB3 in fantasy football.
Dec 15, 2024 3:08 PM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener completed 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 122 yards and gained 10 rushing yards on two carries in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year man out of Fresno State was brought in with just under five minutes left to play in the third quarter. Starter Spencer Rattler's inconsistent play demanded a change be made while the Saints were still in range of a comeback. Unfortunately, Haener was not able to spark the offense as was hoped and the team managed to add just another field goal with him under center. With three weeks of Rattler's struggles in the books and Haener not offering much of an improvement it is unclear who will be under center in Week 9. In postgame comments to the media, head coach Dennis Allen acknowledged Derek Carr (oblique) may be ready to play which would stamp out any brewing quarterback controversy in New Orleans and make both backups obsolete in fantasy.
Oct 28, 2024 3:25 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 12 of 24 pass attempts for 156 yards in Sunday's 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie's third start in place of Derek Carr (oblique) featured the same inconsistent play as was seen in his other appearances. Rattler avoided big mistakes in the first half and was effective in the two-minute drill, completing five passes for 51 yards to set up a Blake Grupe field goal. After halftime though, Rattler completed just two more passes on his next seven tries. With the offense sputtering he got the hook late in the third quarter in favor of Jake Haener, who closed out the game. When New Orleans first tabbed their fifth-round pick as Carr's replacement they indicated he would get a long leash to acclimate to the NFL. The result has been three weeks of erratic play and inaccurate passing. Carr is getting close to his return but if he needs more time off then the Saints have to decide if they will stand by Rattler or give Haener a shot as the starter in Week 9.
Oct 28, 2024 3:15 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler popped up on the team's injury report this week with a hip injury but was able to practice in full. Rattler went down awkwardly near the end of the Saints' Week 7 matchup against the Broncos and was removed from that game to avoid aggravating the injury. With Derek Carr (oblique) still needing time off to recover from the oblique injury he picked up in Week 5, the Saints are giving Rattler his third consecutive start on Sunday. Rattler will have his hands full in Week 8 as he will once again be up against one of the league's top defenses in the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are giving up 184.2 passing yards per game so far and have recorded an interception in each game of the season. Rattler's volatility, combined with the difficult matchup, make him a poor candidate for fantasy lineups in Week 8.
Oct 26, 2024 5:25 AM EST
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start again this Sunday according to Sean Fazende of FOX 8. Rattler has gotten starting nod in each of the past two weeks has averaged 207.5 passing yards per game with one total score. After eclipsing 200 yards in his professional debut, he took a step back last Thursday and tallied just 172 passing yards. Fantasy managers in Superflex formats should continue to hold on to Rattler for the time being as he should remain the starter until Derek Carr (oblique) is ready to return. He faces a tough Los Angeles Chargers defense this weekend who has allowed the 10th-fewest points to opposing QBs and should only be started in deeper Superflex formats.
Oct 23, 2024 4:07 PM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (hip) went 25-for-35 for 172 passing yards and gained 35 rushing yards on five carries in Thursday's loss to the Denver Broncos. Similar to his Week 6 debut, Rattler faced heavy pressure behind a patchwork offensive line and was sacked six times. The rookie also lost two fumbles and it could have been three had it not been for a defensive penalty nullifying the play. Rattler left the game early after going down awkwardly on the play that resulted in his second fumble of the night. In postgame comments to the media head coach Dennis Allen labeled the injury as a hip pointer and added that he took Rattler out so as not to risk further injury. Jake Haener finished out the game, which only amounted to 12 more plays, and completed 3-of-4 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback situation in New Orleans is suddenly very muddled with Rattler potentially injured and Derek Carr (oblique) still ailing. Luckily, the Saints have a 10-day break to figure things out before facing the Chargers in Week 8.
Oct 18, 2024 4:39 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is in line for another start when the team kicks off the Week 7 slate on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos. Regular starter Derek Carr (oblique) is listed as doubtful on the Saints' final injury report but the eleven-year veteran did not practice at all this week. In his professional debut last week, Rattler went 22-for-40 on pass attempts for 243 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. The rookie also fumbled (and recovered) his second snap of the game but was otherwise surprisingly efficient for most of the first half until the Buccaneers defense started to turn up the heat. Rattler faces an uphill battle in Week 7, going against a defense that ranks second in total sacks (22) and is allowing just 16 points per game to opposing offenses. He will also be without the services of Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) who have been declared out, making Rattler a risky play in the first game of the week.
Oct 16, 2024 11:25 PM EST
Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler was dealt a loss in his professional debut as the New Orleans Saints fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 51-27. Rattler went 22-for-40 for 243 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions and gained 27 yards on four carries. Rattler started the game with a 27-yard strike to Juwan Johnson but followed it up with a fumbled snap (which he recovered) on the next play. So it went for the fifth-round pick, alternating between impressive displays of arm strength (often while on the run) and wildly inaccurate throws. Rattler was surprisingly efficient to start, completing 11 of his first 14 attempts, though as Tampa turned up the pressure as the game went on Rattler found it harder and harder to remain effective. It is worth noting that Rattler was without Chris Olave (concussion) for much of the game after the receiver took a helmet-to-helmet hit just three plays into the Saints' first possession. New Orleans kicks off Week 7 when they face the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Rattler should draw another start but he will be hard to trust on a short week.
Oct 14, 2024 3:58 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is slated to start for an injured Derek Carr (oblique) when the Saints meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Rattler was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was once considered a future first-round pick during his early college days. However, he did not quite live up to expectations and ended up falling to the fifth round. Still, Rattler is a promising prospect with a lot of talent. The Saints have a solid group of skill players in place and a solid defense which should support Rattler. Rookie quarterbacks tend to struggle in the NFL which is unfortunate for a Saints team with playoff aspirations. However, the team clearly feels as though Rattler is ready to step in for a short period of time. Hopefully, he can continue to support production for running back Alvin Kamara (hip/hand) and wide receivers Rashid Shaheed (hip) and Chris Olave.
Oct 9, 2024 6:48 PM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will open the season as Derek Carr's backup. He's officially active for Week 1 while rookie Spencer Rattler is a healthy scratch. The Saints' depth chart generated some buzz at the quarterback position, where Haener and Rattler were listed as co-backups, but it appears we now have a firm answer, at least for the start of the year. Haener was a fourth-round pick in 2023 and spent all of last season developing in the Saints' roster, but he has yet to appear in a game. Rattler was the team's fifth-round pick this year after he put together a couple of solid seasons at the University of South Carolina. Both players remain off the redraft radar as long as Carr is healthy.
Sep 8, 2024 11:50 AM EST
The New Orleans Saints have listed quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as co-backups on their first official depth chart for the 2024 season behind starter Derek Carr. The Saints apparently couldn't decide on either Rattler or Haener as the primary backup behind Carr after they competed all throughout training camp and the preseason. Neither signal-caller stood out over the other during preseason games, so it's anyone's guess who will be active behind Carr this Sunday for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Rattler was a fifth-rounder back in April, and the Saints want to develop him for a potential starting role down the line. Haener, 25, was a fourth-round selection back in 2021 but has yet to make his NFL debut.
Sep 3, 2024 7:40 PM EST
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler was impressive in the team's final preseason game. Rattler completed 7-of-13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown while also scrambling twice for 13 yards. The 23-year-old had two highlight-reel passes, showcasing the ability to be a future NFL starter. It remains to be seen if he has won the backup job over second-year quarterback Jake Haener, although he outplayed his competition on Sunday. Rattler remains an intriguing dynasty league stash, given that incumbent quarterback Derek Carr appears to be on a short leash along with head coach Dennis Allen.
Aug 25, 2024 8:36 PM EST
New Orleans Saints' rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler had a tough outing in Sunday night's preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The 23-year-old completed 4-of-8 passing attempts for 27 yards while scrambling three times for five yards. Rattler did set up a 52-yard field goal for kicker Blake Grupe in the third quarter, but those were the only points he initiated in the loss. He was the second quarterback in the game behind Derek Carr, a positive development after he played behind Jake Haener last week. The two will continue to fight for the backup job in Week 3's preseason finale against Tennessee.
Aug 19, 2024 10:46 AM EST
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler (thigh) told the media that he is feeling 100% amid his thigh injury. The fifth-round pick in this year's draft reportedly suffered a bruised thigh in Saturday's preseason game. Before the injury, Rattler looked quite sharp in his pro debut, going 9-for-17 with 70 passing yards and a rushing score. This injury kept him out for a few days, and he is now past the minor setback. Even though Jake Haener is currently serving as the backup in New Orleans, Rattler could contend for that role, given his performance last week. Dynasty managers should continue to follow Rattler during the preseason, as he could be worth stashing if he continues to take advantage of any playing opportunities.
Aug 16, 2024 4:24 PM EST
New Orleans Saints rookie fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler (thigh) returned to training camp practice on Tuesday apparently suffered a bruised thigh in his NFL debut in Saturday's preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals and sat out Sunday's practice. Rattler followed Derek Carr and Jake Haener on Saturday and went 9-for-17 for 70 yards while also rushing for a touchdown. The fact that the 23-year-old was back at practice on Tuesday should allow him to play in the second preseason game on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Rattler and Haener are in a true battle for the QB2 job behind Carr. Rattler has the superior arm talent, but Haener has shown plenty of playmaking ability as well. How they fare in the rest of the preseason should decide the competition.
Aug 13, 2024 8:26 PM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (thigh) missed practice on Sunday, according to NFL insider Nick Underhill. The rookie signal-caller reportedly suffered a slight thigh bruise, but he received treatment on Sunday and is expected to return for the Saints' next practice. One would have to imagine that Rattler suffered the injury during the Saints' preseason game on Saturday. The fact that he expects to return for the team's next practice is a good sign given that he's locked into a serious competition with Jake Haener for the backup quarterback role. Rattler and Haener will continue to showcase themselves through the remainder of training camp and the preseason.
Aug 11, 2024 9:35 PM EST
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler strung together an impressive showing in Saturday's 16-14 preseason win over Arizona. Rattler was third in the pecking order behind Derek Carr and Jake Haener, but was able to play the entire second half. The rookie completed 9-of-17 passes for 70 yards while also rushing twice for eight yards and a touchdown. The game-winning drive was strung together in the game's final minute, which was capped off with a Charlie Smyth field goal. Rattler will continue to compete with Haener for the backup job.
Aug 11, 2024 9:42 AM EST
New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener (skin cancer) "are in a true battle for QB2," according to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. While some teams say the role is up for grabs but have a clear favorite, that doesn't appear to be the case in New Orleans, where it truly is up for grabs between Rattler and Haener. "The key is, do we have a [QB2] or do we have two [QB3s]?" head coach Dennis Allen asked. "Two [QB3s] doesn't help you. So you want to see who steps up and earns the job. And that's what training camp is all about." In terms of the competition, Rattler has draft capital on his side; the Saints spent a fifth-round pick on him less than four months ago. Haener, meanwhile, has experience in the New Orleans system after spending all of 2023 in their organization. It's also worth noting that Haener, a fourth-round pick last year, recently underwent treatment for a rare form of skin cancer on his cheek, but it's not expected to impact his playing ability. This will be a fascinating positional battle to watch, though neither quarterback has much redraft appeal.
Aug 11, 2024 9:08 AM EST
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