Saints special teams again rank among NFL’s best

The New Orleans Saints special teams units continue to rank as a whole among the NFL’s best.

Longtime NFL analyst Rick Gosselin has rated the New Orleans special teams second in the NFL for the 2023 season, slotted behind only the Houston Texans.

The Saints have ranked in the top five of Gosselin’s special teams ratings in five of the past six seasons.

Special team coach Darren Rizzi’s units were top 10 in 10 of 13 special teams categories including first or second ranks in seven of them.

New Orleans gave up a league-low 5.6 per punt retur.

Rashid Shaheed received a Pro bowl nod as a kick returner. The second-year veteran out of Weber State was third in punt return average (13.6) and punt return yards (339) in the league. His season as a return man was highlighted by a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown.