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New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill is coming off his biggest game of the season in Week 4. He didn't get production in the usual tight-end fashion, though. He had six carries for 24 yards and two touchdowns, but zero receptions. Hill is an all-around weapon for the Saints but has been almost exclusively a runner this year.
He has been used a lot differently this year than in previous seasons, though. He hasn't attempted a pass, which is curious considering Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has been creative with how he's deployed his offense this year. Some attempts may come with time, but it doesn't contribute to his upside yet.
Hill has had injury issues this season, though, and he's on the injury report yet again this week. Is he playing in Week 5? Let's dive in.
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Is Taysom Hill Playing in Week 5?
Hill was reported to have rib issues earlier this week and missed time with a supposedly unrelated chest injury in Week 3. It's now being reported that he has rib fractures, though, which calls into question whether he was given adequate time to rest from his previous injuries before returning to action.
I thought this was interesting about Taysom Hill's usage in the games he got hurt: Hill played 28 of 41 snaps (68%) against the Cowboys and 15 of the offense’s first 26 snaps (57%) against the Falcons prior to his injury.
Did the Saints use him too much? https://t.co/aT9KI7MQBy
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) October 3, 2024
The Saints probably should opt to be more careful with Hill from here on out. Fractured ribs most likely deserve some kind of absence. Saints head coach Dennis Allen didn't elaborate on the severity of the cracked ribs. The Saints don't play their next opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, until Monday.
That means he will have extra time to rest, but one more day doesn't seem like much for an injury like multiple rib fractures. Fantasy managers should have a backup plan in place because there was no signal from the Saints that it wasn't serious (and fractured ribs are serious).
Taysom Hill Week 5 Fantasy Football Outlook
If he does play, it's a tough matchup for him. The Chiefs haven't allowed opposing running plays to be very successful. They've given up just 3.8 yards per rush attempt to opposing teams. Hill doesn't have many rushing attempts, and if the Saints run it with him a few times and don't succeed, they may abandon his rushing altogether.
In addition, running the ball against a difficult run defense with fractured ribs sounds like a recipe for disaster for Hill. The team would be wise to make sure that doesn't become a thing.
The tight-end position is the worst it's been in decades, but if for some reason Hill does play, it's not a great idea to start him.
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