Chase Young and Trevor Penning are ruled out for Week 1 as New Orleans hosts Arizona, reshaping the Saints' edge and left-guard rotation. Jordan Howden is listed as questionable with an oblique, while Khristian Boyd and Alontae Taylor carry limited designations; Taylor is on track to play. For Arizona, Will Hernandez is out, Calais Campbell rests, with several other Cardinals players carrying no designation. These updates tilt some Week 1 expectations on both sides and create fantasy-adjusted risk around pass rush and pass protection.

With Young and Penning sidelined, Saints' defense and offensive line faces a thinner edge presence and guard depth, while Arizona’s offensive front may benefit from an improved matchup on the Saints’ rush lanes. Fantasy implications center on QBs and pass-catchers who could see more time or time to throw, plus potential changes in defensive performance and game tempo.

Week 1 injury notes tighten fantasy decisions in the Saints–Cardinals opener. Alontae Taylor is expected to play after a groin issue, while Jordan Howden is a game-time decision in New Orleans’ safety corps. Trevor Penning is out; Chase Young is also sidelined. For Arizona, Calais Campbell and John Gaines II are set to contribute after rest, with two Cardinals questionable (Dante Stills, Owen Pappoe) and Will Hernandez ruled out. Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau remain on PUP and five Saints (Saldiveri, Clapp, Bub Means, Mason Pline, Landon Young) are done for the year on IR, shaping Week 1 lineups.

In short, Taylor’s health anchors NO’s secondary rotation, while Campbell’s activity will matter in run defense. Arizona’s rest and rest/rested players could tweak interior blocking, and the Saints’ Week 1 pass-catching and special-teams depth will be tested by missing Penning and Hill’s absence from the lineup.

Saints Week 1 intrigue centers on Alontae Taylor’s Week 1 status. Taylor returned to practice and is said to be well ahead of his groin-injury timeline, leaving a real chance he suits up versus Arizona. If he can’t go, Ugo Amadi would step in, keeping New Orleans’ corner depth intact. The development matters for fantasy defenses and pass-game planning in this opener.

Taylor posted strong numbers last season (17 games, 15 starts; 4 sacks, 89 tackles, 16 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles, 6 QB hits), underscoring his value in IDP formats and team schemes. A Week 1 absence could lift Arizona’s aerial upside and tighten Saints coverage expectations, influencing early-season DFS and season-long projections for Saints DBs and Cardinals receivers.

Saints injury updates after the Broncos game show a banged-up offensive line with Landon Young and Shane Lemieux both dealing ankle issues, Khristian Boyd with a hand, and Rico Payton sidelined with an injury that could take weeks to heal. With Trevor Penning out for the opener and Taliese Fuaga resting, New Orleans faces a depth challenge up front. Will Clapp and Nick Saldiveri suffered season-ending injuries earlier, leaving Young as a key depth option at tackle.

Fantasy managers should watch how the Saints navigate Week 1 protection and run-blocking with the reshuffled interior and tackle spots. The next few days will define which reserves emerge as reliable depth pieces and how the line’s health could influence the Saints’ early-season game plan and rushing attempts.

The New Orleans Saints pulled off a preseason shock, sending Khalen Saunders to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Luke Fortner. Saunders, who started for New Orleans last season, had slipped a bit against the run (49.2 PFF grade) and was visible during a recent preseason tilt with Jacksonville. In return, the Saints add Fortner, a versatile interior blocker who has anchored the Jaguars’ line. The move immediately reshapes the Saints’ interior DL depth, even as they lean on Nathan Shepherd and Khristian Boyd to fill the void.

Jacksonville gains a veteran starter for a preseason game-day swap, while New Orleans gains a line stabilizer on the inside. For fantasy fans, it’s a reminder that depth-chart shakeups can influence snap splits and rotation, even before the regular season. The Saints’ shift signals a broader evaluation of run defense personnel, and the Jaguars’ acquisition injects a more immediate interior presence for quarterback protection and short-yardage power plays.