Saints Bench Spencer Rattler, Rookie QB Tyler Shough To Start Vs. Rams

The New Orleans Saints have benched quarterback Spencer Rattler in favor of rookie signal-caller Tyler Shough.

Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) walks off the field after their win against the New York Giants at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are making a change after an abysmal start to the season. First-year head coach Kellen Moore announced on Wednesday that rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will take over as the team’s starting quarterback following a lowly 1-7 start to the season with Spencer Rattler under center. 

New Orleans selected Shough with the No. 40 overall pick and the rookie signal caller got his first glimpse of meaningful NFL action in Week 8 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rattler was benched in favor of Shough during Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay and the rookie showed flashes in his first NFL game. 

Shough completed 17 of his 30 pass attempts for 128 yards and an interception as New Orleans struggled to find its footing versus a red-hot Buccaneers defense. The former Louisville signal-caller will make his first NFL start in Week 9 versus the Los Angeles Rams as the Saints look to salvage their season following an abysmal start.

Rattler performed solidly given the team’s lackluster performance. Through Week 8, he’s completed 68% of his passes for 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns with five interceptions. He threw for 136 yards and an interception prior to being benched on Sunday, throwing just six incompletions over his 21 attempts. 

Los Angeles will present a vastly difficult matchup for Shough and company in the rookie’s first NFL start. Here’s a fantasy outlook on the offense entering their Week 9 clash. 

Saints Fantasy Outlook Following Tyler Shough Start

Oct 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws downfield during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed remain New Orleans’ top two offensive playmakers following the change at quarterback. Shaheed led the team with 75 receiving yards over nine catches during Sunday’s loss, while Olave finished directly behind him with 63 yards on eight catches. Each member of the Saints’ receiving tandem received a dozen targets in the loss. 

Star running back Alvin Kamara continued his struggles as the Saints 'offense continued to operate with a deficit, forcing them to abandon the run game. Kamara’s receiving volume has also taken a hit, as he logged just two catches during Sunday’s game, racking up 24 yards through the air. 

Tight end Juwan Johnson has begun to re-emerge in fantasy over the past two weeks following a strong start to the season. After a string of quiet performances he’s racked up 132 receiving yards over the last two games. 

Despite the offense’s struggles, all four members of New Orleans’ offense make strong cases to start in fantasy in most weeks. This week’s matchup versus Los Angeles could paint a different picture, though.