New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons Fantasy Football Studs and Sleepers

November 25, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) returns a kickoff during the second half of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Atlanta defeated the Bucs 24 to 23. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-US PRESSWIRE

In what could turn out to be the most important game of the season for the New Orleans Saints, there are a wide variety of fantasy football players you are going to need to keep an eye on against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Saints’ defense is not good, and while Atlanta has been tough all year, I fully expect Drew Brees and his crew to force Atlanta to score over 30 points to win this game, meaning there’s going to be a LOT of fantasy points to go around.

Fantasy Studs

Quarterback–Drew Brees (Saints), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

As much as I hate to say it (since I’m playing Matt Ryan this week) both QBs in this game are can’t miss fantasy stud starters. I think that pretty much holds true every week. If you have either Brees or Ryan, you’re definitely not struggling at the position.

Wide Receiver–Roddy White (Falcons), Julio Jones (Falcons), Marques Colston (Saints)

This is a great matchup for some of the top fantasy receivers out there. Roddy White is already over 1,000 yards this season, Julio Jones leads the team with 16.7 yards per reception and six TDs, and Marques Colston leads the Saints with eight TD catches. This is a great matchup for these guys on the outside.

Tight End–Tony Gonzalez (Falcons), Jimmy Graham (Saints)

Both of these tight ends are top tier fantasy options. Both are averaging over 10 yards per catch, and have combined for 14 TDs this season. Gonzalez has been targeted 92 times, and is still a huge part of the Atlanta offense.

Sleepers

Running Back–Jacquizz Rodgers (Falcons), Chris Ivory (Saints)

These guys are not overly strong plays this week, but they could see the most looks out of the backfield for either team. Ivory has been a big part of the Saints’ offense since he moved to the active roster, and Rodgers saw more offensive snaps last week than did starter Michael Turner. One of them could be a big playmaker–potentially both–on Thursday night.