Fantasy football managers who gambled on New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara by selecting him in drafts despite his pending suspension from the NFL have been rewarded with a strong performance, leading to him advancing many fantasy teams through to the playoffs and beyond.
However, after suffering an ankle sprain in their Week 17 game over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kamara has struggled to prepare for this must-win game vs. the Atlanta Falcons today.
Will Kamara play today against the Falcons? What is the latest news regarding his injury? And, if Kamara can play today, what is his potential fantasy outlook?
Is Alvin Kamara Going To Play in Week 18?
Editor’s note: Kamara is officially inactive for Week 18.
Kamara suffered a heavy ankle sprain injury midway through the Saints’ win against the Buccaneers in Week 17. He did not return to the field after leaving for the second time due to this injury.
Kamara has not practiced this week due to this injury. However, it appears he participated in some of the walkthroughs on Saturday. This is not a great sign for Kamara to play this week.
However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network did provide some updates on Kamara’s health earlier this morning. He posted on social media platform X, “#Saints RB Alvin Kamara, who has done very little this week with an ankle sprain, will be given up until game-time to show he can go, sources said. He did very little this week. But they’ll hold out hope.”
It sounds like all parties want Kamara to go this week. It will purely be down to whether he is capable. I reason that he will go but potentially be limited in his workload. Therefore, let’s look at his potential fantasy outlook for today against the Falcons.
What Is Kamara’s Potential Fantasy Outlook for Today?
Kamara comes into today as the RB11 in fantasy football despite missing three games at the start of the season due to suspension.
Despite his great form, he is RB25 this week in our PFN Consensus Rankings due to his injury concerns today and his matchup.
MORE: Kyle Soppe’s Week 18 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
The Falcons only allow 16 fantasy points per game to running backs, which is ranked as the fourth-lowest in the NFL. Only the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers allow less to running backs.
While the Saints have two paths to the NFL playoffs this week — either by winning the division or via the Wild Card — they do need results to go their way for either to happen. This means that if things are not going their way, Kamara will likely be shut down to spare any further risk of injury.
I would expect Kamara to be on a pitch count if he suits up today and should only be risked as a desperation play or in PPR leagues where he could provide a safe floor. If fantasy managers have an alternative option on their bench such as James Conner, De’Von Achane, Zamir White, or Ezekiel Elliot, these should be explored above Kamara.
The good news is that fantasy managers will know by 11:30 a.m. if Kamara is active. They can keep up to date via our PFN player tracker to see if he will play and what a realistic expectation for him might be today. If he is ruled out, there is plenty of time to explore an alternative plan. However, it would be prudent to go with Plan B now if it is a good enough plan.
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