Even with New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara approaching 30 years old, his fantasy football outlook is looking up as he’ll be with the team in Week 1.
Below, I’ll examine Kamara’s fantasy value and determine if he’s worth a draft pick in 2024.
Alvin Kamara’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
While some managers’ fantasy football strategy veers them away from running backs as they approach 30 years old, Kamara is an exception because of his pass-catching upside.
In PPR leagues, Kamara has an ADP of RB16, No. 42 overall. This comes one year after he finished as the PPR RB3 after Week 4 when he rejoined the team post-suspension. Over that stretch, he finished just eight points behind New York Jets running back Breece Hall.
According to TruMedia, Kamara had 180 carries for 694 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. While his rushing totals weren’t anything to write about, he ran 269 routes, caught 75 passes on 86 targets, had 466 yards, and scored one touchdown.
Despite playing just 13 games, Kamara was third on the team in passing down snaps. Ahead of him were wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed saw 15 fewer targets than Kamara.
On Aug. 16, it was reported that Shaheed suffered an unspecified injury to his toe or foot. The Saints aren’t talking much about it, but it doesn’t sound very good. If he misses time, Kamara will be the No. 2 option in this passing offense, especially since Michael Thomas is no longer with the team.
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Saints quarterback Derek Carr attempted 548 passes last season; a big part of that was Kamara.
Carr will continue passing the ball, making Kamara a valuable asset, but more so in PPR leagues.
Is Kamara a Good Fantasy Pick?
Yes. If I can get Kamara as the RB16, I’m doing so without a second thought. The Saints will continue to pass the ball, and if they don’t, Kamara will be the one to get the carries. Shaheed is dealing with an injury and is a deep threat; these injuries can hinder his performance on the field.
Olave will get plenty of targets, but it wouldn’t shock me to see Kamara go over 100 targets, especially if he can play 17 games. He had 86 targets in 13 games, so going over 100 is more than doable.
Would I like to see him improve as a runner? Yes. Going under four yards per carry is never a good sign, but he’s finished with four yards per carry or less in each of the last three seasons and has remained productive. Thus, I’m not all too concerned about that.
If you miss out on an RB1, Kamara could serve as a fine value there. As the RB16, he could finish inside the top 10 in the position.
Kamara is one of my favorite values heading into the 2024 season. Take Kamara without a second, though. He’ll be a stud in 2024, pending injury.