In a surprise move, the New Orleans Saints have benched Spencer Rattler and elevated rookie Tyler Shough to the starting quarterback role beginning in Week 9 of the 2025 season. Shough entered the Week 8 game in relief (17 of 30 for 128 yards, 1 INT) after Rattler’s continued struggles. The change signals that the Saints are pivoting toward either a developmental option or attempting to spark their sputtering offense (they entered the switch at 1-7).
For fantasy managers, especially those in PPR leagues, superflex formats, or leagues where QB changes ripple through skill-positions, this is a noteworthy development that alters the outlook for players like Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.
Who is Tyler Shough? The College Resume & Skills
Here’s a breakdown of Shough’s background and what it might tell us about his NFL and fantasy-relevance potential.
College career
- Over his seven-season college tenure (splitting time at Oregon Ducks, Texas Tech Red Raiders and Louisville Cardinals), Shough played in 42 games, completed 599 of 951 passes (~63.0 % completion rate) for 7,820 yards, 59 passing touchdowns, and 23 interceptions.
- At Louisville in 2024 specifically: 12 games, ~3,195 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns.
- Rushing-wise, he carried the ball 246 times for 733 yards and 11 rushing TDs over his college career.
- Physically: 6′5″, ~219-225 lb.
- He had some injury history in college (multiple transfers, broken collarbone, broken fibula) that caused durability concerns.
Strengths & caveats
- Strengths: Big frame, arm length, mobility to pick up yardage on the ground (though not elite compared to dual-threat QBs). His completion rate is solid (~63 %) though not sensational.
- Caveats: Injury history and lack of continuity. He’s somewhat older for a “rookie” (entering at age 26). The offenses he ran in college had mixed results and he’s not coming from a top-NFL caliber huddle system with huge supporting cast.
- As a rookie stepping into a struggling team, the environment is less forgiving. He also has only limited NFL snaps so far (17-30 in that relief appearance vs. the Bucs).
Fantasy Implications for Kamara, Olave & Shaheed
Let’s evaluate how Shough’s ascension affects the fantasy outlook for each of the Saints’ key skill-position players.
Alvin Kamara
- Kamara has historically been the focal point of the Saints’ offense—running back with reliable target volume in the passing game and rushing opportunities.
- With a new QB under center, the immediate concern is how well the offense will flow: Will Shough lean more conservative (safe passes, checkdowns) or will the team try to open things up to both support him and stabilize the unit?
- Potential positive: If Shough uses his legs or uses play-action to open up shots, Kamara could continue to be a safety valve and perhaps maintain target share or even see uptick if Shough struggles to push the ball downfield (Kamara is often a safe outlet).
- Risk: A rookie QB in a struggling offense often means fewer explosive plays, more checkdowns, predictable rushing volume, and maybe more turnovers. For fantasy, that could mean less upside for Kamara and more floor risk.
- Bottom line: Kamara remains a fantasy asset, but this QB change lowers his ceiling somewhat and increases volatility. If you’ve been holding him as a low-end RB2, you may want to temper expectations; if streaming RBs this week, you might still trust the volume of pass plays, but be cautious about projections.
Chris Olave
- Olave is the team’s top wide-receiver option and has been used as a deep threat in previous seasons. His value stems from big-play potential and target share.
- With Shough taking over:
- Positive: If the Saints want to re-energize the passing game, Olave could benefit from aggressive play calls targeting his speed and deep-ball ability (Shough’s college profile shows capacity for longer throws).
- Risk: But rookie QBs often rely on shorter routes, checkdowns, and manageable throws, which may reduce deep-ball attempts and big-play opportunities. Also, if the offense stalls, the passing volume overall might drop.
- Fantasy takeaway: Olave still holds real value and likely remains a WR2 in most formats. However, his upside might be slightly muted until Shough demonstrates that he can confidently and consistently push the ball downfield. It might be wise to slightly downgrade him in projected rankings relative to consistent WR2s, but he’s still a must-start in most lineups.
Rashid Shaheed
- Shaheed plays a complementary role: deep threat, speed attacker, occasional gadget usage (jet sweeps, etc). His upside is highly tied to big plays.
- With Shough:
- Positive: If Shough appreciates stretching the field and the Saints pick up big-play mindset, Shaheed could be an interesting boom-or-bust option with potential for the home-run play.
- Risk: If the offense becomes more conservative due to Shough’s inexperience, Shaheed might see fewer opportunities, fewer deep shots, and more risk of stagnation. For fantasy, this means more risk than reward in the short term.
- Fantasy takeaway: Shaheed becomes more of a speculative play. In deeper leagues he’s worth retaining, but in standard leagues he may fall to FLEX status or worse until the offense settles under Shough. I’d avoid counting on him as a consistent producer until we see how the QB-change affects the offense dynamically.
Is Tyler Shough Worthy of Picking Up?
As a fantasy perspective: should you consider Shough as a pickup (in superflex, dynasty, or speculative one-QB formats)? Here’s how I see it:
Short-term outlook
- Immediate start: Yes — he is now the starter and will throw. That in itself triggers some interest.
- Fantasy-ceiling right away: Limited. Rookie QBs on struggling teams often underperform expectations. The Saints’ offense has lacked rhythm, and the supporting cast, while solid in spots, is not elite (and the O-line, etc, remains a concern).
- Risk of turnovers: High. Rookie QBs are prone to mistakes; turnovers hurt fantasy points and can also kill offense momentum. That could reduce all skill-positional output.
When to pull the trigger
- If you are in a superflex or 2-QB league, Shough is worth a speculative add now to see how it plays out.
- In standard one-QB leagues: Unless you need a desperate QB swap (and I mean desperate), he is more of a “wait and see” pick rather than a must-add. His floor may be too low for safe fantasy starts this week.
- Dynasty: He has intrigue. At age 26, big frame, decent college resume, and now starting — there is long-term value if you believe the Saints commit to him. If you have bench space, yes, I’d stash him.
- Streaming option? Probably not in one-QB leagues this week unless you have no alternatives. The matchup (Week 9 vs. a strong opponent) and lack of comfort/experience make him a higher-risk streaming play.
My Verdict & Recommendations
- For Kamara: Continue to start him in most leagues, but reduce his projected upside slightly and watch game scripts closely. Monitor how Shough distributes the ball and how the offensive scheme adjusts.
- For Olave: Keep him as a WR2. He still offers strong value, but temper expectations moderately until we see that Shough can unlock his game.
- For Shaheed: Lower him to a high-risk, high-reward FLEX at best. If you’re depth-rich, keep him; otherwise, consider alternative options until more stability emerges.
- For Shough: Add him if you’re in a league format that values QB upside (superflex, dynasty). In standard formats, punt the QB pickup for now and watch his first few starts. If he lives up to parts of his college profile (good mobility, length, arm strength) and the offense looks more dynamic, then he could become a sleeper value.
Bottom line: This QB change is meaningful for fantasy. It doesn’t hand overnight greatness to the skill-players, but it does alter the landscape. As with many QB transitions, patience is key. Let’s monitor the film, Shough’s comfort level, the offensive coordinator’s calls, and the flow of the Saints’ offense over the next few weeks before fully adjusting your lineup expectations.
