RB Alvin Kamara - New Orleans Saints

5-10, 214

Born: 7-25-1995

College: Tennessee

Drafted: Round 3, pick 2017

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Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, US Presswire

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News you need to know

General News (Thu Jan 16): could hold out in hopes of securing a long-term contract extension, in the opinion of ESPN.com's Mike Triplett, who notes that the team's other top contributors from the 2017 draft class can have their fifth-year options picked up, whereas Kamara is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season. Triplett also mentions that valuing Kamara may be difficult because despite his versatility he only plays about two-thirds of the team's offensive snaps.

Week 20: bye week

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Recent Stats and Projections

WEEK	OPP	oSNAP	RSH	YD	TD	TARG	REC	YD	Pts
16	at TEN	44	11	80	2	7	6.0	30	23
17	at CAR	28	8	39	2	3	2.0	18	17.7
18	vs MIN	42	7	21	1	9	8.0	34	11.5

Weekly Performance vs RB 1, RB 12, RB 24, RB 36

Percentile ranks

Alvin Kamara's percentile rank in each category, among RB with more than 50 fantasy points.

Recent Game Summaries

2019 Week 18 vs MIN (7 / 21 / 1 rush, 9 / 8 / 34 / 0 rec)

You have to give credit to the Vikings defense this week, but also wonder if Kamara was ever truly healthy after his ankle injury. The Saints have ridden him hard in his tenure as their running back and he just did not look the same this season. Kamara was given 7 carries and averaged just 3 yards per carry. His longest run went for 5 yards and his touchdown came from 4 yards out. He led the team with 9 targets out of the back field and made the catch 8 times. He was never able to break free as the pass from Brees was just off or the Viking defense swarm tackled him. Kamara's longest catch went for 9 yards and he just could not get anything going in either aspect of the game. His touchdown came after a 50-yard pass from Taysom Hill to Deonte Harris from the 4-yard line. Taysom Hill led the way and blocked his man completely out of the play as Kamara took the pitch off the right side for the score. The Saints attacked the outside after the Vikings moved their best defensive linemen to the interior in the hopes of getting pressure on Brees. Kamara will have the entire off season to get healthy and try and return to form for the Saints next season.

2019 Week 17 vs CAR (8 / 39 / 2 rush, 3 / 2 / 18 / 0 rec)

It had been a season to forget for Kamara until the past 2 weeks. He exploded with 2 touchdowns in each of his last 2 games and was pulled this week before the 4th quarter started. Kamara needed just 8 carries to get his 2 touchdowns this week and saw the majority of the work go to Latavius Murray late in this one. His 1st touchdown was also his longest run of the game. Kamara took the handoff from the pistol formation and weaved his way up the middle for a 15-yard score. He was untouched until the second level and used his blockers in front of him to get in for the score. His 2nd touchdown came after a successful pass interference challenge by the Saints put the ball on the 1-yard line. Kamara followed his pulling guard and full back off the left tackle for the score. He had to run through Luke Keuchly at the goal line making for an impressive mix of speed and power. Kamara chipped in 2 catches on 3 targets with the longest also going for 15 yards this week. It has been a very up and down season for Kamara, but he ended the regular season on a high note and looks to be healthy heading into the playoffs.

2019 Week 16 vs TEN (11 / 80 / 2 rush, 7 / 6 / 30 / 0 rec)

It seemed like a long time coming, but Kamara finally broke through this week. He did not rush for 100 yards or catch 10 passes this week, but he did finally find the end zone for the first time since week 3 against Seattle. His first score gave the Saints their first lead of the game and came on the opening drive of the second half. After a great kick off return and a defensive pass interference call, the Saints found themselves on the Titans 40-yard line. Kamara slipped through a hole off the left guard and sprinted down the side line and into the end zone for a touchdown. This is the type of big play we are accustomed to seeing from Kamara and have been missing in recent weeks. After the defense forced a punt on the next drive, Kamara punched in a 1-yard score off the left tackle to add to his impressive day. He saw a goal line carry go to Murray later in the game, but that is normal for the Saints to spread the ball around. Kamara also caught 6 of his 7 targets this week with the longest pass going for 14 yards. The Saints needed him to get going down the stretch and hopefully this will jump start him heading into the playoffs.

2019 Week 15 vs IND (14 / 66 / 0 rush, 5 / 5 / 23 / 0 rec)

It was a very quiet day for the New Orleans rushing attack. This game was all about Brees and setting the passing touchdown record and the ground game took a back seat. Kamara rushed the ball 14 times and led the team in attempts and yards. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and had a long run of 15 yards go off the edge in the second half. He was largely held in check by a smothering Colts rush defense and saw most of his value come from catching all 5 of his targets. Even then he was almost tackled immediately and held to under 100 total yards for the game. Kamara has not been the same back since his ankle injury and the Saints did their best to rest him towards the end of the game with the victory all be assured. They still have a lot to play for in the final 2 weeks and will need him to get things going on the ground if they want to have a more balanced attack come playoff time.

2019 Week 14 vs SF (13 / 25 / 0 rush, 6 / 4 / 18 / 0 rec)

In what was an offensive explosion for the Saints, Kamara played next to no role this week. He averaged just 1.9 yards per carry and 17 of his 25 total rushing yards came on a single play. He had almost double the amount of carries as Murray and almost a third of the yards. Teams continue to bite on the play action to Kamara, but he has not been the same special player since his ankle injury earlier in the season. Kamara caught 4 of his 6 targets for 18 yards and still had fewer receiving yards than Murray with more targets and receptions. If the Saints can lock up a first round Bye, they may consider resting Kamara and making sure he is truly healthy for the playoffs when they really need him. Kamara also had a costly fumble in the 3rd quarter in what was a game to forget for the team's lead back.

2019 Week 13 vs ATL (11 / 61 / 0 rush, 8 / 4 / 23 / 0 rec)

We finally saw some of the speed and elusiveness from Kamara that has been missing in recent weeks. He carried the brunt of the workload on the ground this week with 11 of the 18 total carries for the Saints this week. He also added 4 catches on 8 targets this week and was the third leading receiver for the Saints. The 4 for 8 is a bit surprising as he has been sure handed for most of the season. He had 1 drop where Brees led him a but far up the seam, but Kamara had a step on Deon Jones in coverage and the ball hit him in the hands. He would have run for a very long time if he had made the catch as there were no defenders anywhere in front of him. The majority of Kamara's rushing yards came on a single carry where he burst through the middle for 24 yards. He made one cut at the second level and ran through a poor tackle attempt from Damontae Kazee. It was still not one of the special games we have come to expect from Kamara, but he has been trending in the right direction in recent weeks. The idea of Kamara losing more carries to Latavius Murray went out the window this week after Murray struggled and did not average a yard per carry this week.

2019 Week 12 vs CAR (11 / 54 / 0 rush, 9 / 9 / 48 / 0 rec)

There still seems to be something missing with Kamara. He does not have the same burst of speed and does not look like the special player he was a year ago. He was given 11 carries to just 7 for Murray and outside of a long 30-yard run he was ineffective again this week. His 30-yard run helped setup a Michael Thomas touchdown, but he then averaged just 2.4 yards per carry on his other 10 carries. His value continues to come as a receiver after he caught all 9 of his targets and was the third leading receiver on the team. Kamara's longest catch was a 16-yard catch and run down the side line that accounted for a third of his yards. He still has just a single touchdown this season and has watched Murray find success in the same situations he is not. Kamara could very well still be dealing with his ankle injury and the Saints could ease him back once they have locked up the division in order to keep him healthy for the playoffs. The rushing attack had a great game combined this week but most of that came from Murray and a single long run by Kamara.

2019 Week 11 vs TB (13 / 75 / 0 rush, 10 / 10 / 47 / 0 rec)

This was always going to be a tough matchup for the running game with Tampa playing so well against the run. Their pass defense was also so horrible that there was really no point in trying to force anything on the ground. Kamara seemed to get back on track this week as he averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 13 carries. This was 3 more than Latavius Murray who has carved a much bigger role in the rushing attack than the beginning of the season. Kamara's longest run went for 14 yards, but he has still not found the end zone since week 3 against Seattle. Kamara's value this week came in the passing game where he was the second leading receiver on the team and caught all 10 of his targets. His longest catch was a dump off that went for 17 yards down the sideline. The Saints have always been thin at receiver behind Thomas and Ginn and Kamara often lines up out wide and runs routes as a receiver to try and fill that void. It has been a long time since he has found the end zone and that may prove tough again next week against a stout Carolina defense.

2019 Week 10 vs ATL (4 / 24 / 0 rush, 10 / 8 / 50 / 0 rec)

Coming off the Bye week, Kamara was said to be healthy and ready for his normal work load. Murray had worked hard in his absence and was due a few more carries, but no one expected Kamara to only have 4 carries this week. He produced with those carries and averaged 6 yards per carry, but the Saints seemed to abandon the run early. As a team they only ran the ball 11 times for 52 yards and tried to do everything through the air. Kamara caught 8 of his 10 targets for 50 yards with the longest catch going for 14. This was not the game that most expected after sitting out several weeks with an ankle injury and coming in fresh off a Bye. The duo of Kamara and Murray only rushed the ball 9 times and that does not make for a very balanced offense. The Buccaneers have a surprisingly stout rush defense but look for the Saints to try and establish the run next week and put forward a more balanced offense.

2019 Week 6 vs JAX (11 / 31 / 0 rush, 8 / 7 / 35 / 0 rec)

It was a tough week for Kamara on the ground. Teams are stacking the box and making Bridgewater try and beat them through the air. They have been able to contain Kamara the last 2 weeks, but the Saints have come away with a win both times. Kamara had fewer rushing yards than Latavius Murray for the first time this season and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. His longest run went for 7 yards and he put the ball on the ground once and was able to recover his own fumble. Kamara saw 8 targets in the passing game and caught 7 of them for 35 yards. His longest catch went for 14 yards but his receiving total matched Murray when Kamara had 4 more catches. The Saints have been pushing him with a very heavy workload this year and it appears that he is starting to slow down a little. The success for Murray this week could lead to fewer touches but Kamara is still the main guy in New Orleans. He is due for one of his breakout games in the near future, but it will be tough to do so against the Bears next week.

2019 Week 5 vs TB (16 / 62 / 0 rush, 7 / 6 / 42 / 0 rec)

It was not the normal day we are accustomed to seeing from Kamara, but he did still have 100 total yards of offense this week. Tampa Bay did a great job tackling and bottled up Kamara around the line of scrimmage on almost every run. He broke free once for 16 yards but ended the day with an average of just 3.9 yards per carry. He chipped in 6 receptions on 7 targets and wishes he could have back the one he did not catch. Kamara had what should have been an easy catch up the seam, but he bobbled the ball as he tried to pull it in, and it was taken out of the air by the defender. The ball was thrown low and out in front of him so he could turn up the field and run and he just did not secure it properly. The Saints dug into their bag of tricks with Kamara as well and dialed up a half back pass play. Kamara completed a 13-yard pass to Josh Hill on a 3rd and 1 play. Kamara led Hill a little too much and Hill had to slide and make the catch, otherwise he could have run for much longer. It was an easy first down that could have been an even bigger play with a better throw. Kamara saw carries go to Latavius Murray this week, but he is still the clear top option in that backfield.

2019 Week 4 vs DAL (17 / 69 / 0 rush, 3 / 3 / 20 / 0 rec)

It was not a great week for Kamara as he failed to surpass 100 total yards this week. The Saints offense was out of sync and there were no explosive of big plays from anyone. Kamara had a long run of 13 yards on the ground and saw the ball spread around the offense more than in recent weeks. He carried the ball 17 times and other players had 10 carries. Taysom Hill had the longest run on the ground from the wild cat, and Kamara's never got a chance down around the goal line to punch in a touchdown. He caught all 3 of his targets this week but was covered by Dallas very well. Michael Thomas, Josh Hill, Jared Cook, and Ted Ginn all saw more targets in the passing game this week and the Saints did not utilize one of their best weapons out of the back field. Kamara has a great matchup next week against a Tampa Bay defense that gave up multiple touchdown to Todd Gurley and this week's game will be a distant memory.

2019 Week 3 vs SEA (16 / 69 / 1 rush, 10 / 9 / 92 / 1 rec)

It would have been a very long day for the Saints had it not been for Kamara and their defense and special teams. Kamara had 16 rushed and 9 receptions for a combined 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was the only rusher to have more than 3 carries and was used to grind down the clock in the second half. Kamara�s first touchdown came through the air on a 29-yard screen play. He followed his blockers into the second level, made a cut to the outside, stiff armed a defender, and sprinted to the end zone for the first offensive touchdown for the Saints this week. He added a 1-yard touchdown run off tackle late in the 2nd half to put the Saints up 33-14. New Orleans went for 2 on the play and failed, but it proved to be all the cushion they needed to sustain 2 late touchdowns from Seattle. Kamara averaged 4.1 yards per carry and had a single long run of 16 yards on the ground this week. His 10 targets and 9 receptions for 92 yards led the team in all receiving yards, including longest pass play with his 29-yard reception. Kamara was a big reason why the Saints won this week and they will continue to lean on him while Brees is out to try and stay in the playoff hunt.

2019 Week 2 vs LAR (13 / 45 / 0 rush, 3 / 1 / 15 / 0 rec)

It is not often that we see Kamara held to under 50 yards rushing or a single reception for 15 yards, but that is exactly what happened this week. When Brees went down, the offense should have gone through Kamara, but the line could not block anyone this week and the Saints were playing from behind. Kamara was met by a defender in the back field constantly and the one big pass play he had was brought back because of a holding penalty. His longest run of the game was a 12-yard burst off the right side and accounted for almost � of his total yards for the game. The Saints offense is going to have to play much better next week against Seattle if they want to get a win and the offense is going to have to go through Kamara if Brees is out for any period of time.

2019 Week 1 vs HOU (13 / 97 / 0 rush, 8 / 7 / 72 / 0 rec)

It looked like it was going to be a quiet first game for the star running back until he turned it on in the second half. Kamara did most of his damage through the air this week as the Saints routinely exploited the mismatch any time Kamara had a linebacker in coverage. The speedy back ripped off a 41-yard reception where he caught the ball across the middle and turned it up the seam for a big play. He also had a 28-yard rush where he bounced off several would be tacklers and sprinted towards the end zone. Kamara fumbled the ball on this same play and it was recovered by Jared Cook without being advanced. Had the Saints challenged the play they would have seen it was not a fumble, but no flag was thrown. Kamara was held out of the end zone this week but still managed almost 170 all-purpose yards. He carried the ball more than twice the amount Murray did and was the primary back in passing situations. Kamara will be the work horse this year and Murray does not pose much of a threat outside of being a change of pace back.

Latest News

Saints | Alvin Kamara a holdout candidate? (Thu Jan 16, 01:25 AM) - New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara could hold out in hopes of securing a long-term contract extension, in the opinion of ESPN.com's Mike Triplett, who notes that the team's other top contributors from the 2017 draft class can have their fifth-year options picked up, whereas Kamara is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season. Triplett also mentions that valuing Kamara may be difficult because despite his versatility he only plays about two-thirds of the team's offensive snaps.

Our View: We'll see what the Saints want to do here. Kamara is one of the best in the game at his position when healthy and should be compensated as such.
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Saints | New Orleans loses Wild Card game (Sun Jan 5, 04:38 PM) - New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees went 26-for-33 for 208 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card playoff game. QB Taysom Hill completed a 50-yard pass, rushed for 50 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 25 yards and one touchdown during the game. RB Alvin Kamara rushed for 21 yards and one touchdown on seven carries and caught eight passes for 34 yards. RB Latavius Murray rushed for 21 yards on five carries. WR Michael Thomas caught seven passes for 70 yards on eight targets. TE Jared Cook caught five passes for 54 yards on five targets, while WR Ted Ginn Jr. caught one pass for 18 yards on two targets.

Our View: The Saints just couldn't stop the Vikings offense down the stretch. There was a potential non-call on Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph when he pushed off to score a touchdown in overtime, but so many other opportunities slipped through the Saints fingers on Sunday. It's another disappointing end for the Saints in the postseason. The Saints are now the first team in NFL history to have six straight playoff eliminations by one score and the second team since the Packers from 2013-15 to be eliminated in three straight postseasons on the final play of the game.
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