ESPN Picks Quincy Riley as Saints' 2026 Breakout Player Over Jonas Sanker

Q: After an All-Pro rookie season, will Jonas Sanker be benched for the Saints' new first-round draft pick?

No. Based on the available reporting and the Saints’ current depth chart, Jonas Sanker is not projected to be benched for the team’s new first-round pick. Sanker is currently listed as New Orleans’ starting nickelback/“STAR” defender, the role he was already trending toward after a standout 2025 rookie season. Reporting around Brandon Staley’s defense indicates Sanker has been working at that spot since OTAs, and his versatility makes him a strong fit there. He finished last season with 80 tackles, two interceptions and seven tackles for loss, and was described as a key piece in the Saints’ secondary. The confusion appears to come from draft speculation. One version of the discussion suggested a first-round safety such as Caleb Downs could affect Sanker’s role, but the more concrete roster information does not support that outcome for New Orleans. The Saints’ 2026 first-round pick is listed as wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, an offensive player who does not compete with Sanker. The player behind Sanker at nickel is Lorenzo Styles Jr., a fifth-round pick, not a first-rounder. There is still competition in the secondary overall, especially with the Saints continuing to add defensive backs and with Quincy Riley also fighting for a larger role. But as of mid-July 2026, the evidence points to Sanker keeping a starting job rather than losing it to a new first-round draft pick.

Q: Once hailed as a breakout star, can Quincy Riley even make the starting lineup for the Saints this season?

Yes — but his starting job looks far less secure than the “breakout” label suggests. Riley has a real case to make the Saints’ lineup. He was a useful rookie in 2025, played all 17 games, started some, and finished with 10 pass breakups while fitting Brandon Staley’s zone-heavy defense. He is also currently listed as the starting right corner, and Alontae Taylor’s exit opened snaps in the secondary. The problem is that making the lineup and holding a clear-cut starting role are different things. Kool-Aid McKinstry appears locked in as the top outside corner. The Saints also added Martin Emerson Jr., and reporting around his role has pointed to him as a boundary corner who could take Riley’s spot opposite McKinstry. That makes Riley’s camp and preseason especially important. Riley’s versatility helps him. Solak noted he can play outside and potentially handle some slot work, which gives him more paths onto the field. But the slot picture is crowded too. Jonas Sanker has been heavily discussed for the “STAR” role in Staley’s defense, and Caleb Downs’ arrival further complicates that competition. So the most accurate answer is that Riley is very likely to make the 53-man roster and has a legitimate chance to start, but he is not a lock to open the season in the starting lineup. Right now, he looks more like a player battling to keep a starting outside job than a guaranteed breakout starter.

2 articles · Updated · Yahoo Canada Sports · Jul 12

Benjamin Solak named Saints cornerback Quincy Riley as New Orleans' 2026 breakout player in ESPN's team-by-team NFL projection.
Riley won out because Solak sees him as a solid outside corner with ball skills and scheme fit in Brandon Staley's zone-heavy defense, even after playing as the third cornerback last season.
Taylor's free-agency departure could open more snaps, including possible slot work for Riley, though Solak noted safety Jonas Sanker was a close alternative and said he 'flipped a coin.'
The pick underscores how New Orleans' 2025 mid-round defensive backs—Riley and third-rounder Sanker—have become central to a secondary still searching for impact starters.