The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons have released their inactives ahead of the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on “Monday Night Football,” and tight end Noah Fant will not play. He was questionable on the final injury report with an abdominal injury.
Fant joins three defenders who were ruled out on Saturday: linebacker Kaden Elliss (calf) and edge rushers Carl Granderson (ankle) and Anfernee Jennings (knee). None of the three practiced this week.
Linebacker Pete Werner is active. He was questionable with a shoulder injury and also sat out all three practices.
Defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe) is inactive after a full practice on Saturday, and cornerback Decamerion Richardson is a scratch. Zach Wilson is the emergency third quarterback.
As for the Falcons, they did not rule anyone out before Monday. Linebacker Divine Deablo and edge rusher Samson Ebukam are both active after being questionable with hamstring injuries.
Now, a look at the full lists for both teams.
New Orleans Saints inactives
- QB Zach Wilson (emergency 3rd QB)
- CB Decamerion Richardson
- EDGE Anfernee Jennings
- DL Christen Miller
- LB Kaden Elliss
- TE Noah Fant
- EDGE Carl Granderson
Atlanta Falcons inactives
- QB Cooper Rush (emergency 3rd QB)
- QB Jack Strand
- OT Ethan Onianwa
- DL Jared Ivey
- CB Robert Longerbeam
- CB Malcolm DeWalt IV
Saints’ red-zone offense loses Noah Fant
Fant has eight catches for 66 yards, and three of them went for touchdowns. New Orleans is 9 for 11 in the red zone, and Fant and Juwan Johnson have combined for six of those nine touchdowns.
“They’re big catch-radius guys, big targets,” head coach Kellen Moore said of his tight ends. “They know how to box people out in some situations.”
Rookie Oscar Delp should see more snaps behind Johnson. Chris Olave also has a prime opening against a Falcons secondary that put A.J. Terrell Jr. on injured reserve.
Bijan Robinson faces a thin Saints front
Elliss signed with New Orleans from Atlanta this offseason and has 24 tackles in three games, but he won’t face his former team.
Bijan Robinson ran 29 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3. The Saints are allowing 128.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 27th in the NFL.
Having Werner helps at linebacker. On the edge, New Orleans is down both Granderson and Jennings as Michael Penix Jr. gets another prime-time chance.
Both teams are 1-2. The game airs on ESPN.
