After having one of the least fantasy-relevant backfields in all of football last season, the New Orleans Saints addressed the position to kick off free agency, signing Travis Etienne (Achane?) to a four-year, $52-million deal. The move (and contract) led to basically everyone operating under one assumption:

Alvin Kamara is going to retire, right?

Following free agency, there was plenty of mystery surrounding Kamara’s position with both the Saints and the NFL. When asked about the potential of Kamara retiring, head coach Kellen Moore stated he was “not going to get into all that stuff.” And by essentially saying nothing, to many, it was solidified that Kamara’s time with the Saints was over.

Not so fast.

A Running Back Committee In New Orleans?

When speaking about Kamara at the NFL’s league meeting on Monday, Moore stated that he will be part of the running back room and that he can envision ways to utilize both running backs in the Saints' offense. That would be interesting, but also a potential headache for fantasy football purposes.

The Saints are now paying Etienne like a top-nine running back in the league, giving him $13 million per season. One would believe that would mean he’d be the starter right out of the gate. But Kamara is one of the best players in franchise history, who is also finishing a two-year, $23.5-million extension. If Moore means what he says about Kamara remaining involved, it could be in a particular role.

Once a lock for at least 4.5 yards per carry, Kamara’s efficiency has plummeted as of late. Since 2021, he has averaged just 3.8 YPC, while his ranks in yards per touch have left much to be desired:

2025: 4.0 (54th)

2024: 5.0 (21st)

2023: 4.5 (37th)

2022: 5.0 (25th)

2021: 4.7 (29th)

His tackle-breaking metrics have also fallen off, ranking below league average in rush attempts per broken tackle for four consecutive seasons. Now approaching age 31, perhaps Kamara is better suited as someone who gets 10-12 touches per contest, while handling a large chunk of the passing downs. Of course, that would obviously put a dent in Etienne’s fantasy ceiling, especially following a season where he ranked third among running backs in screen routes (21), first in targets (12) and second in receptions (9). 

Throughout his time as a play caller, Moore hasn’t really used multiple running backs all that much. But to be fair, he coached prime Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas from 2019-2021, as well as MVP candidate Saquon Barkley with the Eagles in 2024. Perhaps we could see Etienne and Kamara on the field together some this season. The Saints need more help at wide receiver after Chris Olave, so giving Kamara some slot snaps could be an intriguing idea. 

If this does become a committee, at least the play volume will be there. Moore’s offenses have always been fast-paced, and that didn’t change in his first year in New Orleans. Last season, the Saints ranked second in no-huddle rate (22.7%), while no team averaged more plays per minute (2.2). 

So ... Should You Draft Alvin Kamara or Travis Etienne In Fantasy Football?

This news likely bumps Etienne’s ADP down a little bit. And at the moment, he is being drafted as RB17 around pick 37 over on Underdog. Kamara, meanwhile, is at RB49. That will normalize a bit as the offseason goes along, but unless the ADP discrepancy stays extreme, I’m still siding with Etienne. The contract the Saints gave him does speak volumes, while it is tough to imagine Kamara, who will be 31 and has missed eight games due to injury over the past two seasons, staying fully healthy. 

This will be one of fantasy’s most intriguing backfields over the course of the summer.

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