The Saints are expected to be without running back Alvin Kamara for at least a month due to a sprained MCL. Kamara is getting older, and the Saints had already brought in Travis Etienne this offseason to be the new feature back in New Orleans. However, this injury to Kamara only increases the importance of Etienne’s role in the offense, at least to start the season.
This is a look at how this Alvin Kamara injury impacts both Kamara and Etienne in fantasy football this season.
Alvin Kamara Injury
Alvin Kamara has been an amazing player for the Saints for the past decade. He has been one of the best backs in the league since being drafted by the Saints in 2017. Kamara ranks behind only Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey in scrimmage yards since 2017. He has been an incredibly consistent fantasy option throughout his tenure with the Saints, but is now looking at a backup role. With Kamara turning 31 years old this summer, the Saints decided it was time to bring in an established running back to handle the primary rushing duties.
It turns out that was a great move by the Saints’ front office, since Kamara has suffered an injury in training camp. He sprained his MCL and is expected to miss at least a month of action. That would likely see him miss at least the first two games of the regular season and possibly even more time as he works to get back into game shape. The Saints have a real chance to compete in a weak NFC South, so they will hope Kamara can return to help the offense as soon as possible. However, to start the season, the burden will be on Travis Etienne to carry the running game.
Travis Etienne Fantasy Value
Travis Etienne has been a very consistent running back since coming into the league. He doesn’t put up the flashy numbers that Kamara did in his prime, but he is a dependable 1,000-yard back. Etienne has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons in the NFL. He also set his career high with 13 total touchdowns last season. He ranked inside the top 10 running backs in both PPR and standard scoring leagues last season.
Travis Etienne was expected to be the primary running back for the Saints when he was acquired this offseason. However, it was assumed that Kamara would still see a lot of action, particularly in the passing game. This injury to Kamara leaves Devin Neal and Kendre Miller as the backup running backs to start the season. Both have had minimal success in their young NFL careers, which means Etienne should see almost all of the touches. That also gives Etienne a great chance to establish himself as the new RB1 in town without the shadow of Kamara looming over him.
It’s still hard to consider Etienne a top-10 running back going into this season, but this injury to Kamara certainly boosts his stock. He is certainly a top-20 fantasy option at running back, and this could even push him into top-15 territory. In any fantasy league, he should be an every-week starter with the potential to be a top back against weaker run defenses.
