The New Orleans Saints will be without running back Pierre Thomas for a couple weeks and that injury for fantasy football owners makes Travaris Cadet, Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson the top pickups for owners heading into Week 8 and all three could be solid RB start options for New Orleans as they try and bounce back from a tough start this season.
Thomas is one of the best dual threat backs in the league and while he is third on the team in rushing this season, he has 26 catches and has been very solid for fantasy owners. The Saints' three to four headed monster can often be frustrating for fantasy owners, but with one man down, the other three backs all gain some value. Ingram is just getting back from an injury and is the best runner, while Cadet has taken over the Darren Sproles role a bit and can make catches out of the backfield for PPR owners.
Robinson is the best pickup for owners looking for some touchdowns, as he has gotten goal line carries over some of the other backs. For anyone in a PPR league with Thomas, Cadet is the best option to get because he at least will contribute some points that way too. The Saints lost to the Lions this weekend and now they are looking to get things back on track and they will have to do it without Thomas in the lineup.
According to Pro Football Talk, Thomas will be out for two or three weeks with a shoulder injury and that was first reported by NFL.com. The Saints have been dealing with a number of injuries, including to Jonathan Goodwin and Brodrick Bunkley and they will have to find a way to overcome those losses. The team next plays Sunday against the Packers and then on Thursday against the Panthers and Thomas will likely miss those games and possibly the one after that against the San Francisco 49ers.
Thomas has just 133 yards on the ground this season, but he has 26 catches for 204 yards and also has three total TDs on the year. Thomas has not had a breakout game on the ground this season, but two weeks ago he had over 100 total yards and over the past two weeks he has caught 12 passes and scored two touchdowns. Cadet is an interesting option for fantasy owners and while he may not put up crazy numbers, he has the chance to be a solid performer and that often is what is important when an injured player is out.
Cadet is the best pass catcher and he has over 10 catches this season and was targeted nine times in the last game against the Lions, catching six balls for PPR owners. Ingram comes back after missing time and now in three games he has 159 yards and three touchdowns, although he had just 16 yards in the game against the Lions. Ingram is a solid option with Robinson with Thomas out and he could be a solid starter for this week. Robinson comes in with 330 yards this season on the ground and he also has two TDs and is the best option for teams looking for a straight runner.