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Raiders at Saints: 5 best fantasy options

By John Buhler

Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) scrambles away from pressure during the first quarter of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

The New Orleans Saints host the Oakland Raiders for a Week 1 matchup on Sunday. Here are the five best plays for your fantasy team.

Potentially one of the more exciting games on the Week 1 slate in the NFL has to be between the Oakland Raiders and the New Orleans Saints down in the Big Easy. The Saints are a one-point home favorite over Oakland. There is a good chance that this game could become off of those good, old-fashioned Drew Brees shootouts at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Saints still have a top 10 quarterback in the league in Drew Brees, but will have needed to make huge strides defensively to hang in the NFC this fall. Oakland has been tabbed as one of the biggest on-the-rise teams in the NFL this upcoming season. With fantasy football getting underway this week, here are the five players in the Raiders/Saints game that could start for your team.

5. Latavius Murray

Raiders running back Latavius Murray is coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season and his first trip to the Pro Bowl in 2015. Murray has been key in the Raiders climb back to relevancy, as he has provided balance to an offense that had been predominantly pass-heavy.

Murray is a tricky play on a fantasy team because while he averaged a respectable 66.6 yards per game in 2015, he only got into the end zone six times as the Raiders primary running back. While he should be a decent flex player in the early weeks until we really know what Murray is all about this fall, he’s a must-play in Week 1 versus the Saints.

New Orleans has had an atrociously bad defense the last few years. The Saints finished last in the NFL in points allowed (476), first downs (380), passing touchdowns allowed (45), and yards per rushing attempt (4.9).

The Saints looked to upgrade their putrid run defense by drafting Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins at No. 12 this spring, but he is now on IR with a broken fibula. New Orleans allowed 20 rushing touchdowns last season. Murray should do better in Week 1 than the 8.30 points and 9.8 points NFL.com and ESPN.com are projecting him to earn, respectively against the Saints.

Next: 4. Amari Cooper

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