A divisional test against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers arrives with four New Orleans Saints starters opening the week as non‑participants.
The Saints listed Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, Taliese Fuaga, and Justin Reid on Wednesday, and Kellen Moore’s post‑practice notes suggest day‑to‑day evaluations rather than severe setbacks.
Latest Injury List for the New Orleans Saints
Chris Olave: Back, Did Not Practice (Wednesday)
Olave was held out with a back designation after playing a full workload in Week 13. Moore described the issue as typical post‑game soreness, emphasizing the team will let it progress through the week and that Olave “is doing some good” while navigating symptoms.
With a full game banked last week and no indication of escalation, a late-week practice ramp would position Olave to play. Thursday and Friday’s reports will clarify whether this tracks as maintenance or requires a snap plan.
“It’s a back so obviously, you play a full game the way he did, obviously, it’s going to be sore… We’ll let that progress… He’s doing some good, though,” Moore said.
Alvin Kamara: Knee/Ankle, Did Not Practice (Wednesday)
Kamara opened the week as a DNP with combined knee/ankle listings. He appeared on last week’s report and played, but the staff is holding him back from starting this week.
The dual designation often indicates cumulative management rather than an acute injury; watch for a limited return on Thursday to indicate availability against Tampa Bay and typical RB1 usage. Moore said: “(Alvin Kamara) with the knee/ankle… We’ll just let all of those progress.”
Taliese Fuaga: Ankle, Did Not Practice (Wednesday)
Fuaga did not practice due to an ankle issue. Moore specified this is a “different ankle” than last week’s listing; the rookie tackle appeared on the Week 13 report and ultimately played.
The distinction suggests short‑term caution, not re‑aggravation. If Fuaga logs a late‑week limited session, the expectation is that he starts at right tackle.
Justin Reid: Knee, Did Not Practice (Wednesday)
Reid sat with a knee designation. Moore indicated this is not an injured reserve situation, and the plan is to monitor his progression during the week.
Safety rotations hinge on Reid’s practice trajectory; a limited reentry Friday would align with availability and normal usage, while continued DNPs could prompt package adjustments. “Justin, just a knee… It’s not an IR thing, but we’ll just kind of see how it goes,” Moore told reporters.
Saints’ Outlook and Week 14 Practice Status
The first Week 14 injury report listed only four Saints, but all were starters, and all were DNP on Wednesday: Fuaga (ankle), Kamara (knee/ankle), Olave (back), Reid (knee). Last week, Fuaga and Olave appeared on the report and still played, which frames Wednesday’s listings as early‑week management pending reassessment.
The team will update participation with the Thursday and Friday reports, which typically define game status and any planned snap management.
What to Watch Ahead Of Saints vs. Buccaneers in Week 14
Olave’s back: a limited return would point toward active status with the standard route tree; continued DNP would raise the likelihood of pregame testing and moderated snaps.
Kamara’s knee/ankle: If he ramps up to limited, expect a typical RB1 deployment; if the DNP persists, New Orleans may lean more on backfield depth and short passing to offset.
Fuaga’s “different ankle”: late‑week limited would signal a start at RT; if unavailable, protection plans and run concepts to the right could be adjusted.
Reid’s knee: not IR‑level, but availability will determine safety rotations and third‑down packages; Friday participation is the strongest indicator.
