Beat: Kamara (knee) won't have huge role if active

Kamara logged two limited sessions to begin the week, and New Orleans Football’s Nick Underhill said he thinks Kamara will play, barring a setback. We do not yet know Kamara’s practice participation level on Friday, but he is traveling with the team, which is a good sign. Kamara would be a PPR FLEX if active. He is expected to play on passing downs while starting RB Travis Etienne leads the team in carries. Etienne is the best bet to handle the primary red zone role, but Kamara has been a prolific touchdown scorer over his career and could factor in. The Saints ruled out RB Audric Estime (thigh).

Underhill did note that Kamara needs to make it to Sunday without any setbacks. He was limited in practice on Wednesday after suffering an MCL injury during a training camp scrimmage. The initial timeline for his return would have seen him miss multiple weeks of the regular season, but Kamara is well ahead of schedule in his recovery. He will likely serve as a passing-downs specialist with Travis Etienne handling the bulk of the carries.

Kamara suffered an MCL injury during a scrimmage three weeks ago. The issue was initially expected to sideline him for at least a month, but it looks like he has a shot at significantly beating that timeline. Even if he doesn’t play this week, there’s a good chance Kamara is back by Week 2 or 3. He will be a low-end FLEX play in PPR leagues once he is healthy.

Miller left practice early under his own power Tuesday, an all-too-familiar picture for the oft-injured back coming off an ACL tear from last October. However, Underhill reports it is a minor issue for the 24-year-old. With Alvin Kamara (knee) missing time, Miller has seen a lot of preseason work. Miller, when healthy, can be the Saints’ RB2 and primary handcuff to Travis Etienne.

This isn’t a surprise, as Kamara’s timeline to return per Adam Schefter as of August 19 was a month away. What was a minor surprise is that Kamara wasn’t placed on injured reserve before the start of the season. Perhaps there is still a chance he can go in Week 1, though we’d call him doubtful at this point based on the initial timeline.

Miller is entering his fourth season as a pro and his second season in head coach Kellen Moore’s offense. He’s been slowed by injuries ever since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2023, and he rushed 47 times for 193 yards and one touchdown last season, while adding another 5-30-0 through the air on five targets. Kamara is expected to be out for about a month, so it’s possible he avoids IR to start the season. If Kamara were to land on IR and miss at least the first four games, Miller could be worth a stash in deeper leagues while we wait to see how his usage plays out alongside Travis Etienne, but he is unlikely to have any real standalone value.

The Saints’ backup running back statuses continue to change. Veteran No. 2 RB Alvin Kamara (knee) is expected to be sidelined for at least one month, and RB Audric Estime is now sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Miller and RB Devin Neal (hamstring) both returned this week, though. Beat reporter Jeff Nowak notes that Miller, Neal and RB Ty Chandler were all allowed to rotate in for first-team reps today, as coach Kellen Moore presumably seeks out a viable primary backup for starting RB Travis Etienne. Per Nowak, Miller “looks sharp despite the time missed.” This is worth tracking for short-term bench stash purposes.

Kamara, 31, exited the Saints’ Tuesday scrimmage with a knee injury. The one-month recovery timeline — at best — means Kamara will likely miss the team’s regular season opener, and perhaps their Week 2 game. Travis Etienne, meanwhile, should function as something close to a workhorse while Kamara is sidelined. Etienne’s PPR upside gets a boost if Kamara is sidelined for the first couple regular season contests.

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