The New Orleans Saints remain without their franchise running back as they continue their disappointing 2025 campaign. Alvin Kamara has now missed two weeks with a knee injury. Will fantasy football managers have the veteran back available for the final stretch?
Alvin Kamara Injury Update
Kamara had been managing a nagging ankle issue throughout the season, but that never threatened his availability. He suited up each week and continued producing despite the discomfort. That changed in the first half of Week 12 when he exited the contest with a knee problem and did not return.​
The knee injury has been confirmed as a sprained MCL. That issue varies widely in severity, ranging from minor Grade 1 sprains that heal in one to two weeks to severe Grade 3 tears that can sideline players for months.​
Kamara did not practice at all ahead of Weeks 13 and 14. The Saints ruled him out for Weeks 13 and 14 on Friday.
Ahead of Week 15, Kamara has yet to practice and it’s safe to say he won’t do so on Friday. There is no indication Kamara is nearing a return. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football noted after Week 12 that Kamara could take a little time, but nothing that’s super serious or threatening long term. However, the timeline for recovery remains uncertain.​
The MCL sprain appears to be minor based on the team’s messaging and handling of the situation. However, MCL injuries can worsen quickly if a player returns too soon, potentially turning a one to two week absence into a month-long ordeal.​
Kamara is the type of player who would want to return even for meaningless games at the end of the season. At 30 years old, the veteran remains ultra-competitive and takes pride in his availability. But this is not the type of injury that will only cost him two weeks.​
The Saints have no incentive to rush Kamara back with their season effectively over at 3-10. New Orleans has been eliminated from playoff contention and would gain nothing by risking further damage to their franchise running back in meaningless December games. Preserving his health for 2026 may become the priority.​
Minor MCL sprains typically require one to three weeks of recovery depending on the grade and how the player responds to treatment. Weeks 16 or 17 represent realistic targets for his return if the sprain is indeed on the lower end of severity. However, there is also a legitimate possibility the Saints shut Kamara down for the remainder of the season.​
Kamara’s Fantasy Football Outlook
With Kamara sidelined, the Saints backfield undergoes a significant transformation. Devin Neal will continue serving as the lead back while Kamara recovers. The rookie sixth-round pick has assumed primary ball carrier duties in Kamara’s absence.​
Neal should continue seeing significant volume for as long as Kamara is out. Given his heavy usage, even on a bad offense, he profiles as a volume based Flex option. Taysom Hill has not been involved nearly as much as we thought he would be.
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For fantasy managers rostering Kamara on playoff contenders, keep him on your roster until there’s definitive word on his return status or a potential shutdown. However, plug in a reliable alternative for now and don’t count on him contributing during the fantasy playoffs. The confirmed MCL sprain and subsequent multi-week absence force a reality check for Kamara’s fantasy managers heading into the postseason.​
