Alvin Kamara first injured his hip and ribs two weeks ago. While he played through the injury, he’s clearly still dealing with it this week. What is the latest information on the New Orleans Saints RB? Will he be able to play through his injuries once again in Week 5? How should fantasy football managers prepare?
Will Alvin Kamara Be Active in Week 5?
After injuring his hip and ribs in Week 4, Kamara was legitimately questionable for Week 4. He wound up playing and sure did not look hampered by the issues. Kamara touched the ball 26 times, totaling 119 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to last week’s game, there were some unconfirmed rumors that Kamara was dealing with a fracture. If he was, you certainly couldn’t tell by his performance.
With that said, Kamara is clearly not 100% healthy just yet. He was limited at Thursday’s practice.
It’s important to remember that the Saints play Monday night. Thursday is essentially their Wednesday. At this point in the season, Wednesday practices are largely meaningless, especially for veterans. That makes Kamara’s participation all the more encouraging. Even a limited session on the team’s first practice of the week bodes extremely well for his chances of suiting up against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night.
Kamara’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
This week’s matchup against the Chiefs is about as tough as it gets. Through four games, they have allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Even worse, they’ve been stingy against running backs in the passing game.
Just 12.4% of the Chiefs’ total receiving yards allowed have gone to running backs. Their opponents target running backs at a 13.4% rate, the second-lowest rate in the league.
The matchup may require fantasy managers to temper expectations a bit, but it’s not as if anyone is considering benching Kamara for even a second. Volume remains king in fantasy football, and it’s fair to argue no running back has a better role than Kamara.
The 29-year-old back has rebounded immensely after an inefficient 2023 campaign. After showing serious signs of decline last year, Kamara has been the best running back in fantasy. He’s averaging 26.7 fantasy points per game on 24.25 touches per game.
Kamara for SIX!
The @Saints take the lead on the extra point.
📺: #NOvsATL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/gLvfp3kY89— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
As long as Kamara is healthy and seeing as many opportunities as he is, he will remain an elite RB1 on a weekly basis. Perhaps 25+ fantasy points is unlikely against the Chiefs, but fantasy managers will have no complaints if Kamara can get to 15+ in a difficult matchup. Fire up Kamara as usual this week.