Saints 2026 Depth Chart: Predicting Starters, Backups and Key Roles

Sign up for the daily Saints Newsletter by clicking here.

The New Orleans Saints have spent the offseason reshaping their roster around head coach Kellen Moore, and with the regular season approaching, the picture of what his team will look like is finally coming into focus as the organization has finalized its 53-man roster.

There are established names such as Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, Erik McCoy, Cam Jordan and Chase Young, but this Saints roster also features several newcomers and young players positioned for significant roles.

Offensively, Tyler Shough enters as the clear-cut starting quarterback, Travis Etienne Jr gives New Orleans a new lead option in the backfield and several rookies are making their names known in the receiving room.

Defensively, coordinator Brandon Staley has enough depth to get creative with his fronts and rotations.

Training camp and the preseason provided some clues, but the Saints' depth chart will ultimately be determined once the games count. Based on our observations throughout the summer, roster construction and how the Saints want to deploy their personnel, here is our prediction for New Orleans' depth chart entering the 2026 season.

Offense (11 Personnel)

Quarterback

Starter: Tyler Shough
Backup: Spencer Rattler
Reserve: Zach Wilson

This is the obvious one. Shough is the incumbent and his performances had gotten stronger and stronger every practice.

We expect Rattler to remain the backup despite Wilson’s push.

Running Back

Bell cow: Travis Etienne Jr
Second Option: Alvin Kamara
Reserves: Kendre Miller, Audric Estime

Etienne will be the No. 1 option for New Orleans, while Alvin Kamara will be a key player off the bench. AK is still a valuable player to the offense; otherwise, the Saints wouldn’t have given him a new contract

Wide Receiver

Starters: Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Jordyn Tyson
Rotation: Bryce Lance, Barion Brown

Olave will look for his fourth 1,000-yard season in five seasons and Vele looks to build off of a strong second half last season.

Not very common you see three rookies who will take significant snaps in the receiving corps, but that’s how impressive Brown, Lance and Tyson have been. Tyson will be a starter when he comes back off Injured Reserve/Designated to Return list.

Tight End

Starter: Juwan Johnson
Rotation Pieces: Noah Fant, Oscar Delp

Johnson is coming off the best season of his career with77 catches for 889 yards and three touchdowns and that ranked second on the ream in all three categories.

Moore is trying to run more two tight end sets this season, so expect Fant to be in the game as well as he has plenty of experience, 4,483 snaps to be exact.

Delp’s versatility could help the rookie get on the field as well. This is an idea spot for him s he learns behind two vets.

Offensive Line

Starters: Kelvin Banks Jr. (LT), David Edwards (LG), Erik McCoy (C), Cesar Ruiz (RG), Taliese Fuaga (RT)
Reserves: Mason Murphy, Asim Richards, William Sherman, Jeremiah Wright

The starters will remain the same for most of the season. If there were one change, it would be at right guard with Ruiz. He is in the hot seat, and Wright performed well in the preseason.

Defense (Heavy 3-4)

Defensive Line

Starters: Davon Godchaux, Nathan Shepherd, ,Vernon Broughton
Reserves: Khristian Boyd, Christen Miller, John Ridgeway III, Colby Wooten

Lots of bodies in the defensive line room, but that’s the way defensive coordinator Brandon Staley likes it.

Edge Rusher

Starters: Chase Young, Carl Granderson,
Key Rotation Player: Cam Jordan
Reserve: Tyree Wilson, Anfernee Jennings

Granderson and Jordan could be interchangeable to be honest.

Linebacker

Starters: Kaden Elliss, Pete Werner
Key Rotation Player: Danny Stutsman
Reserves: Jaylan Ford, Isaiah Stalbird, Chris Rumph II

This position group showed that it has more depth than you think. Stutsman is the future sheriff of the defense, and it could happen this year. Ford is on the Injured Reserve/Designated to Return list.

Cornerback

Starters: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley
Key Reserve: Martin Emerson Jr
Reserves: Jayden Price, Mike Reid

McKinstry and Riley could both have breakout seasons. Emerson had a breakout training camp but has shown to be shaky at times.

New Orleans needs this group to be as healthy as humnly possible.

Safety

Safeties: Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon
Nickelback: Jonas Sanker
Reserves: Jordan Howden, Lorenzo Styles Jr

Solid group as well. Sanker could have a huge year following a solid rookie campaign last season.

Specialists

Kicker: Daniel Carlson
Punter: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper: Zach Wood

Carlson won the starting job at kicker, beating out both Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth in less than a week.

Wright is also a newcomer, but nout unfamiliar with New Orleans as he used to punt for Tulane in college. He is entering his fifth in the league.

Wood has been the franchise’s longsnapper since 2007.

Mailbag Submissions

Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google