Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara enters the 2026 fantasy season as one of the biggest volatility plays at running back. He is still with the Saints for now, but his status is very much unsettled after a 2025 season in which he finished with a career-low 471 rushing yards and one touchdown, then missed the final six games because of a knee injury and an ankle issue.

If Kamara remains in New Orleans, the fantasy outlook looks much less friendly than it has for most of his career. The Saints signed Travis Etienne in free agency, and multiple recent reports suggest Etienne would likely be the lead back while Kamara settles into a reduced role, with New Orleans also considering whether Kamara fits on the roster at his current contract. That setup would make Kamara more of a secondary or committee back than a weekly fantasy anchor, especially with the team still weighing his future and not having finalized a contract solution.

The upside case still exists because Kamara has long been valuable as a pass catcher, and even in a down 2025 he still caught 33 passes for 186 yards over 11 games. FantasyPros projects him for 120.2 carries, 481.2 rushing yards, 35.2 receptions, and 88.8 fantasy points in 2026, which reflects a clear decline from his peak but still leaves room for usable PPR weeks if he stays involved near the goal line and in the passing game. His age and recent injury history are real concerns, but his receiving role gives him a floor that pure early-down backs often do not have.

For fantasy drafters, Kamara is best viewed as a cautious mid-to-late round stash rather than a player to build around. If he stays with the Saints, his ceiling is capped by Etienne’s presence and by the team’s willingness to shift away from him, but if he gets traded or lands in a clearer receiving-back role elsewhere, his value could rebound quickly. In short, Kamara is still talented enough to matter, but in 2026 his fantasy value depends far more on his team situation and health than on his reputation alone.

Updated 06/08/2026