Foster

Moreau

Moreau suffered the concussion late in the Saints’ Week 1 win over the Panthers and did not return. It’s a frustrating injury for Moreau after a breakout performance with four catches and a touchdown. If Moreau can’t suit up in Week 2 against the Cowboys, fellow tight end Juwan Johnson will see the bulk of the true tight end snaps, giving him some TE2 value.

It was reported yesterday that Johnson suffered a lower leg injury. We now know that he suffered a foot injury that will require surgery to fix. Schefter also noted that the “belief for now is that [Johnson] will be back for the start of the season,” but it sounds like he will miss all or most of training camp. Johnson caught 37 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last season and doesn’t have much fantasy upside outside of being a week-to-week streaming option. His absence should open up more opportunities for Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau this offseason, with Hill being the only fantasy-relevant player at this time.

This was the most targets and catches for Moreau this season. He did catch a touchdown last week; however, it was just for six yards on his only target. Most of Moreau’s catches were on the final drive with the Saints driving to try and tie the game as he operated behind Taysom Hill most of the day. With Juwan Johnson possibly returning next week against the Jaguars, Moreau should not be on fantasy radars.

Moreau’s absence should give Juwan Johnson a few more routes. Johnson has paced the team’s tight ends in routes through two games but Moreau was still seeing the field enough to push Johnson deep into the TE2 rankings. He will have a better outlook this week versus the Packers.

Moreau has been splitting the Saints’ tight end reps with Juwan Johnson and, to a lesser degree, Taysom Hill. If Moreau is unable to play in Week 3, Johnson would earn the bulk of the routes and targets for the Saints’ tight end room. He would rank as a high-end TE2 in that scenario.

Great news for the Saints tight end! Moreau’s ailment was discovered during a routine physical following a visit to New Orleans in March as part of his free agency. The team then extended him a three-year contract just six weeks after his diagnosis. The fact that he was declared in remission after just three months of treatment likely means the disease was discovered extremely early, meaning he should have no issues to start the NFL season. That sentiment seems to be backed up by the Saints’ medical staff and coaches after Moreau participated fully in organized team activities earlier this month.

There was hope Moreau would be ready for OTAs after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma roughly two months ago, but those hopes have since turned to reality. Moreau was on the field with the Saints during Tuesday’s OTAs, and did not appear to be limited in any capacity. Originally expected to miss the 2023 season following his diagnosis, Moreau unexpectedly signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Saints earlier this month, and revealed that he will attempt to play for the Saints after receiving positive news on diagnosis. Moreau will likely need to earn playing time with Juwan Johnson still on the roster, but his contract and familiarity with Derek Carr are enough to suggest he’ll eventually work his way into the offense.

That’s quite the turnaround for a player diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma less than two months ago and would mark the beginning of one of the better feel-good stories of the offseason. Moreau and the Saints recently agreed to a three-year, $12 million contract with $8 million guaranteed. Moreau would likely slot in behind both Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill for targets and opportunities amongst Saints tight ends for the coming season, but it’s a blessing his prognosis is looking up.

The deal includes $8 million guaranteed for Moreau, who in March stepped away from football after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The conditions was spotted during a physical exam at the Saints facility. It looks like Moreau, 26, will attempt to play this season for a New Orleans offense led by former Raiders QB Derek Carr. Saints beat writer Nick Underhill said Moreau “received a very positive diagnosis, per source. He’s still getting treatment but it won’t impact his participation.” Moreau has always struggled to command targets, catching 33 of 54 targets last season in Vegas while Darren Waller missed much of the season for the Raiders. Moreau had 12 touchdowns in four seasons with the Raiders and profiles as a streaming option in New Orleans. Taysom Hill remains the Saints tight end to rosters.

Moreau was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after the disease was found during a routine physical with the Saints in March. It is unclear if the contract extended to the former Raiders tight end has more to do with a signal of health or an extension of healthcare as he is only two months into his battle with cancer. Thoughts remain with the four-year veteran as he works towards a clean bill of health.