Alvin

Kamara

Kamara continues to see the majority of his touches from carries between the tackles under head coach Kellen Moore. The 30-year-old running back had 22 carries for 83 yards against the Panthers, giving him a 3.8 average. One the Saints’ first drive, Kamara had an opportunity for a carry from the Panthers’ two yard line, but ended up losing a yard. He still hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1. The Saints have a bye in Week 11, but Kamara remains in the RB3/FLEX conversation for the rest of the season.

The pattern continues. Kamara is limited in practice most weeks, but makes it to Sunday just fine. Kamara will be a RB3/FLEX candidate against the Panthers given how good their defense is and how Kamara is splitting snaps of late. DT Bryan Bresee (back) is also playing off a questionable tag. Inactive for the Saints are: DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd, CB Rejzohn Wright, DB Ugo Amadi, and TE Jack Stoll (ankle).

As usual. We don’t have any doubt that Kamara will suit up, but his role may remain somewhat limited with Devin Neal taking 45.8 and 39.0 percent of the snaps the past two games. Kamara is just a FLEX at this stage of his career, unless the trade of Rashid Shaheed suddenly leads to the Saints using him in the pass game much more.

The Saints continue to limit Kamara in practice, though the limited reps seem to have little impact on his in-game performance. The 30-year-old running back faces the Panthers this weekend, whose star DE Derrick Brown (elbow) notably appeared on the injury report today. Were Brown to miss the game, Kamara could have an easier time running up the middle, though he would remain an RB3 in the ranks.

Kamara has been playing through the ankle issue for a few weeks. A limited session on Wednesday is standard fare for him. He should be good to go for Week 10’s game against the Panthers. With his efficiency on the decline and his pass-catching role falling off the map, Kamara is barely an RB3 versus Carolina.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore remains committed to running Kamara inefficiently up the middle, despite the veteran running back’s historic pass-catching prowess. On the plus side, Moore did call Kamara’s number on a 4th-and-1 pitch, on the Saints’ fourth drive, but the play was stopped by officials due to a false start. Later, on the Saints’ lone third-quarter drive, Rams S Kamren Kinchens knocked the ball out of Kamara’s hands on yet another run up the middle. The Rams recovered, and Kamara did not touch the ball on the two remaining drives, giving way to two touches for rookie RB Devin Neal.

Both Kamara and Shaheed remained limited throughout all three practices this week. Kamara is a borderline RB2/3 while Shaheed, who injured his hip on the Saints’ final Week 8 drive, is a WR3. Saints CB Alontae Taylor (shoulder) is also active. The Saints declared DT John Ridgeway, DT Khristian Boyd, CB Rejzohn Wright, DB Ugo Amadi, OG Xavier Truss and TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden inactive for Week 9 against the Rams.

Kamara has been dealing with the ankle issue for a few weeks. He appeared to aggravate the injury in Week 8’s loss to the Bucs but managed three limited practices during the week. Head coach Kellen Moore was optimistic about him suiting up as of Friday. Kamara has been losing work to his backups more often this year and his efficiency has fallen off the map. As a massive underdog to the Rams this week, he barely registers as an RB3.

He practiced again today and Kellen Moore said that "[he’s] trending well” for playing this week. Kamara will be more of an RB3 or FLEX consideration than an RB2 in Tyler Shough’s first start, with the Rams favored by 14 points and Kamara fading from the passing game.

It was a repeat of yesterday’s injury report, with both Kamara and backup Devin Neal (ankle) limited. Given how little Kamara has been involved in the passing game this year, he’ll be a tough start against the Rams in Tyler Shough’s first start. The Rams are nearly two-touchdown favorites and the Saints project to pass quite a bit against them.