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    Etienne (hamstring) leaves early against Raiders

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    Saints RB Travis Etienne exited Week 3 against the Raiders after suffering an apparent hamstring injury.

    Etienne entered the game with a hamstring injury and appears to have aggravated it on an explosive run. The Saints’ starting running back broke off a 16-yard gain in the third quarter, setting up a Saints passing touchdown on the following play. Etienne could be seen grabbing at his left hamstring at the end of the run. He had mostly been limited to modest single-digit gains before that, rushing 13 times for 57 yards and catching 2-of-2 targets for 13 yards on the day. He seems highly unlikely to return. Etienne and the other veteran running backs notably ceded the first backfield touch inside the green zone to RB CJ Donaldson.
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  • NO Running Back #3
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    We do not yet know today’s participation level, but Etienne logged two limited sessions to begin the week. Hopefully, we get a report pre-game revealing the injury’s severity, so we can better assess his potential usage. Given the Saints’ prior backfield workload splits and Etienne’s soft-tissue strain, he should probably be viewed as a low-end RB2/FLEX starter right now.
  • NO Running Back #3
    Etienne remains limited, which keeps him in the questionable camp for the Saints’ Week 3 game against the Raiders. Saints RB3 Kendre Miller was sidelined by an illness, but those rarely impact NFL players’ availability on game day. Veteran RB Alvin Kamara should be rostered wherever he is available.
  • NO Running Back #3
    Etienne begins the week with a limited session, which is either good or bad, depending on when the injury occurred. If this is a lingering issue from Sunday, Etienne should be considered likely to play. Limited practices early in the week are generally a good sign. However, if he suffered the injury during today’s practice, his Week 3 availability would be in jeopardy. Veteran Saints RB Alvin Kamara would likely get the start, but RB Kendre Miller would be FLEX-viable if Etienne sits.
  • NO Running Back #3
    Etienne tallied just two carries in the first half of this one while Alvin Kamara led the Saints backfield with 10 total touches through the first two quarters. Things would shift more in Etienne’s favor in the second half, as he out-snapped Kamara 21-to-7 while out-touching him 8-to-4. It was a disappointing outing overall, however, for the 27-year-old back, who has yet to find the end zone in his first two games and has managed just 109 yards from scrimmage on 26 touches. He’ll be hard to trust as anything more than an RB2/RB3 in next week’s game against the Raiders.
  • NO Running Back #41
    Kamara was limited throughout practice last week and was ruled out with inactives. Moore said today that he could have played but needed more time on task, implying that limited preparation was the larger issue, not Kamara’s health. Travis Etienne split work with Kendre Miller last week. Kamara will presumably take on Miller’s role as the backup, though he could also eat into Etienne’s target total. Etienne caught seven balls in his Saints debut. If he loses that work, Etienne could fall out of the RB2 ranks entirely.
  • NO Running Back #3
    Etienne was taken off the field a surprising amount, ceding nine carries to Kendre Miller and another two to CJ Donaldson. Donaldson also logged two targets. While his role on the ground was concerning for fantasy managers, a nine-target outing cushioned the blow slightly. In PPR leagues, Etienne did enough. Unless the Saints are going to play in overtime shootouts every week, Etienne will need to take on more rushing work to be a weekly RB2. With Alvin Kamara potentially returning next week, Etienne will sit on the RB2/3 border for his date with the Ravens.
  • NO Running Back #41
    Underhill notes that Kamara practiced fully on Friday, “so he’s cleared, but the team is deep at running back.” This is good news for starting RB Travis Etienne, who should lead the team in carries easily and potentially hog snaps in scoring position since Kamara will be less than 100 percent healthy, if active. Saints RB3 Kendre Miller is the next man up.
  • NO Running Back #41
    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.
  • NO Running Back #5
    The good news is that Miller was not listed with a knee injury after suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 7 last year. The bad news is that he evidently has a new injury, and the Saints have a fairly deep running back room right now. RBs Devin Neal, Audric Estime, Ty Chandler and CJ Donaldson are all vying for roster spots. Per Underhill, Neal is taking advantage of the extra reps. He could have the inside track to the RB3 role right now.
  • NO Running Back #41
    Travis Etienne is getting “the bulk” of the first-team reps on early downs, and Duncan notes “he’ll be surprised if it’s a Kamara-Mark Ingram-like 50-50 split when all is said and done.” It feels like Kamara is settling in for a lower situational role, but perhaps not situational enough for the comfort of Etienne-reliant fantasy managers, as the Saints’ new signing carries an ADP in the late 30s or early 40s on most sites.

Rotoworld

  • SF Wide Receiver #5
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    49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said the team is still gathering information on WR Mike Evans’ (ribs/oblique) injuries.

    According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, “it was unclear exactly what happened to Evans.” He got hit hard in the sternum on a catch over the middle, but remained in the game for a few plays before needing help from the training staff to get off the field. Shanahan said the team couldn’t tell if Evans broke a rib or injured his oblique, but he believes those questions will be answered tomorrow, indicating Evans will likely undergo imaging. He entered the game with a hip injury. Wagoner adds that LT Trent Williams (stinger) and LB Dre Greenlaw’s (quad) injuries “seemed less severe” than Evans’ injury.
  • MIN Wide Receiver #18
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    Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said WR Justin Jefferson (ankle) “got close” to returning a couple of times in Week 3 against the Buccaneers.

    According to the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the Vikings will evaluate Jefferson’s injury further, “but it didn’t sound terribly serious initially.” It sounds like Jefferson could have a chance to play in Week 4 against the Dolphins’ fantasy-friendly pass defense, though nothing is certain at this time. Stay tuned.
  • PHI Tight End #86
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    The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports that Eagles TE Zach Ertz is expected to be activated off the practice squad for the Eagles’ Week 3 game against the Bears.

    Ertz makes for a dicey starting option in season-long leagues, but he’s stuck around this long for a reason. It stands to reason that the Eagles will keep him on a snap count, but if he’s feeling good in-game, they could allow him to get a little extra action.
  • LV Wide Receiver #82
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    Cody White caught 1-of-3 targets for four yards and one touchdown in the Raiders’ Week 3 win over the Saints.

    White has likely earned himself a roster spot with three touchdowns in two weeks. He scored via an in-breaking route on the Raiders’ eighth possession, operating as the apparent checkdown in the progression. He is not yet worth stashing, but take note of his productivity.
  • DEN Running Back #12
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    Broncos RB RJ Harvey (head) is questionable to return to Week 3 against the Rams.

    Harvey took an awkward tackle and appeared to stumble following the play. He was removed during the commercial break and taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. Harvey gained six yards on two carries prior to departing, adding 39 yards on five receptions.
  • NO Running Back #5
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    Kendre Miller rushed four times for 14 yards in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Raiders, adding two receptions for five yards.

    Miller dealt with an illness this week, but today’s performance can hardly be called sick. Miller had a chance to carve out a role after RB Travis Etienne aggravated his hamstring injury, but he didn’t do much with the opportunity. If Etienne cannot play, Miller will be a touchdown-dependent FLEX.
  • NO Running Back #41
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    Alvin Kamara rushed nine times for 36 yards in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Raiders, adding one reception for five yards.

    Kamara largely assumed lead rushing duties once RB Travis Etienne left after aggravating his hamstring injury, but it didn’t count for much. The 31-year-old Kamara will likely be the Saints’ starter next week, assuming Etienne cannot play, but he is only an FLEX play against the Falcons.
  • NO Tight End #87
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    Noah Fant caught 4-of-4 targets for 33 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Raiders.

    Fant chipped in two touchdowns in a game that tied an NFL record for tight end touchdowns (six). His first was on a three-yard slant. His second was an impressive catch-and-run play via play-action from 16 yards out. Fant is not on the starting radar next week against the Falcons.
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    Juwan Johnson caught 8-of-8 targets for 53 yards, two touchdowns and one lost fumble in the Saints’ Week 3 loss to the Raiders.

    Johnson was getting open at will on out routes and shallow crossers. He and TE Noah Fant, along with the two Raiders tight ends, combined for six touchdowns, tying an NFL positional record. Johnson fumbled while trying to make a big play for his team late in the game. He attempted to stiff-arm LB Nakobe Dean, who cleanly punched the ball out for CB Eric Stokes to recover. Johnson made a real heads-up play earlier on, though. Saints QB Tyler Shough threw a bad pass to Johnson earlier on, which CB Hezekiah Masses easily picked off and returned downfield. Johnson raced after him and successfully punched the ball out with a diving hammer-fist, but the Raiders ultimately recovered that fumble, leading to a turnover for the Saints. Johnson remains a reliable TE1 against the Falcons next week.
  • NO Wide Receiver #14
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    Devaughn Vele caught 3-of-6 targets for 39 yards in the Saints’ loss to the Raiders.

    Vele nearly added a decent first-down pickup to his box score, but he was unable to secure the pass as he was diving to the ground. Aside from that, he had a nice 17-yard gain in which he ripped his leg away from a would-be tackler and scampered away for a few extra yards. Vele is a boom-bust FLEX against the Falcons next week.