Tuesday's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em joint practice between the Cowboys and Saints included veteran running back Alvin Kamara leaving with an injury.
Report: Alvin Kamara avoided major knee injury
Alvin Kamara avoided a major knee injury during Tuesday's joint practice
Scoring Zone's Take
Alvin Kamara took a scary hit during Tuesday's joint practice, but both sources agree he avoided a major knee injury — that's the headline you want to see. There's no indication of a torn ligament or structural damage, which is the outcome that would have wrecked his 2024 outlook entirely. Still, the fact that this warranted reporting at all suggests some kind of knock or scare occurred, so it's worth monitoring how he's listed in practice reports over the next several days before you finalize draft boards.
For fantasy purposes, treat this as a non-event for now rather than a red flag. Kamara's role as an every-down back with passing-game value remains the same as it was before this report, and nothing here changes his draft cost. Continue targeting him in the range you had him valued at pre-camp — likely as an RB2 with upside given his receiving work — but build in a small contingency plan. If you're drafting soon, know his backup situation on the Saints depth chart in case late-breaking news changes before your draft, since joint-practice injury scares can sometimes reveal something more serious in the following days.
Confidence here is moderate: one source carries only 50% confidence while the other sits at 80%, and both are reporting the same "avoided major injury" framing without details on what actually happened during the play. Don't downgrade Kamara on your board based on this alone, but keep an eye on any follow-up practice or preseason snap reports before you lock in his ADP.
Fantasy Implication reviewed impact -2.3
A month-long absence for Alvin Kamara is a significant blow to fantasy managers who have relied on him as a workhorse back with dual-threat receiving value. In redraft leagues, this is essentially a 4-week bench/IR stash decision — he likely won't be worth rostering active roster spots unless you have deep bench space. The Saints backfield opens up considerably for Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller, who should split early-down work with Miller likely emerging as the more explosive change-of-pace option; both become streamable/waiver priorities in all formats, with Williams the safer floor play and Miller carrying more upside if he wins the lead role. Kamara's absence also slightly boosts the Saints' passing-game usage for other pass-catchers since he was a key checkdown/receiving option, though this is a marginal effect.