Fantasy Reaction: Alvin Kamara Suspended Three Games

The Saints added Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller during the offseason, so Kamara will have competition for carries when he returns.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been suspended three games by the NFL, according to multiple reports.

The suspension is for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy related to his role in a fight the weekend of the 2022 Pro Bowl. Kamara will miss the season opener against the Titans at home and road games against the Packers and Panthers. He will be eligible to return Week 4 for a home bout with the Buccaneers.

Kamara is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, but even that was still good enough for an RB16 finish in PPR. He finished with 897 rushing yards, 490 receiving yards and four total touchdowns in 15 games after he was drafted as a top-10 running back. Kamara had finished no lower than RB9 prior to 2022 and his career average is 19.6 fantasy points per game.

New Orleans added veteran Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller to its running back room in the offseason, two moves that take on even greater importance now that the length of Kamara’s suspension is known. Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns with the Lions a season ago and Miller, a third-round pick, ran for over 1,300 yards for TCU en route to a College Football Playoff appearance.

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Kamara’s current average draft position is RB28 (70th overall). Williams is going a few rounds later at RB33 (95th overall) and Miller is available much later at RB46 (152nd overall).

High touchdown and reception totals contributed to Kamara’s status as a fantasy star for the first four years of his career but he regressed in both categories the last two seasons following Drew Brees’s retirement.

If he performs like a top-10 fantasy back upon his return, Kamara will prove to be a value in the sixth round. However, there’s more competition for backfield touches in the Big Easy with the arrival of Williams and Miller and another change at quarterback as Derek Carr takes over under center.

Suspended players are not eligible for injured reserve in traditional fantasy formats, so managers with Kamara rostered will have to stash him for the first three weeks of the season.