Kendre

Miller

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.

Miller will be a healthy scratch with Alvin Kamara officially back for Week 2. Miller rushed nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Lions, but he looks like the odd man out with the Saints’ top two backs healthy; rookie CJ Donaldson, who contributes on special teams, will serve as the team’s RB3. Miller’s fantasy value is non-existent as long as Kamara and Travis Etienne are both dressing on Sundays.

Miller operated as Travis Etienne’s backup with Alvin Kamara out this week and managed to steal a red zone touchdown. He surprisingly drew Etienne to a carries standstill at nine apiece. Etienne, however, saw nine targets. Miller was not targeted. Miller will be a thorn in the side of Etienne backers as long as Kamara is out, but he doesn’t have much standalone value headed into Week 2.

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.

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.

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.

As of Thursday, Neal was taking advantage of RB Kendre Miller’s back injury by playing well at practice. Miller is still sidelined, but now Neal is too. The two backs, along with RBs Audric Estime, Ty Chandler and CJ Donaldson, are all competing for the RB3 job. The fact that Neal is working with the training staff out in the open is a good sign, but this is worth keeping an eye on because a hamstring injury ended his rookie season prematurely.

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.

Triplett and his colleague, Nick Underhill, joked about how RB Kendre Miller (knee) will likely once again dazzle at organized team activities, before things fizzle for him. It’s a brutal take on the 23-year-old Miller, who has dealt with ankle, hamstring and knee injuries, plus one concussion, in his short career. Miller is currently rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in October 2025, but it sounds like he is expected to participate next week. If Kamara is released, Miller should at least get a chance to compete for the No. 2 role. Triplett believes the team has one A-back in RB Travis Etienne, and two B-backs in Miller and, presumably, RB Devin Neal.