Ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen announced that tight end Taysom Hill has fractured ribs. Allen also mentioned that he was unsure if the team would put Hill on the team’s injured reserve list at this time.
Hill suffered his injury last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Before leaving the game, he rushed for 24 yards and two touchdowns to help the Saints stay within reach. New Orleans ultimately dropped the game, but the health of Hill was on the minds of the team.
His status for Week 5 may remain officially uncertain, but the team could still elect to hold him out. In all likelihood, he will miss the game against the Chiefs unless he is able to conceal the pain enough over the next few days. New Orleans travels to Kansas City for a Monday Night Football showdown.
On the season, Hill has rushed the ball 14 times for 77 yards and two scores. He has become one of the more dynamic dual-threats in all of football so if he can’t go, it would be a big loss to the New Orleans offensive attack.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 09: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints hands the ball off to Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter in the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Hill has been dealing with fractured ribs.
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Throughout his career, Hill has been used in multiple ways. He has played running back, wide receiver, tight end, and even quarterback.
He threw for back-to-back 900-yard plus passing seasons in 2021 and 2022, helping to establish himself as an electric dual-threat player. New Orleans has become reliant on him to be a threat for opposing defenses to scheme again, opening up different areas on the field for other players.
If Hill can’t go, others will need to step up for the Saints to get a win over the Chiefs. Wide receiver Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara would be relied upon even more heavily in this game as they look to pull off the upset.
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Both Olave and Kamara have shown that they can carry an offense, with each putting together strong seasons thus far. Kamara has carried the ball 80 times this season on the ground, rushing for 362 yards and five scores. He also has caught 17 passes for 174 yards through the air and one touchdown.
As for Olave, he has caught 20 receptions for 265 yards and one score this season. He is a true No. 1 option for New Orleans and will have to heavily stand out for quarterback Derek Carr if Hill can’t go.
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