Alvin Kamara

27-Year-Old Running BackRB

New Orleans Saints

2022 Rush/Rec Stats

ATT

223

YDS

897

YDS

490

2023 Projections

ATT

YDS

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2022 Fantasy Outlook

Kamara's first season without Drew Brees under center was a radical departure. The running back set a career high with 240 carries despite missing four games, but he also had career lows in targets, catches, receiving yards, yards per carry and rushing touchdowns. The change around him, particularly once new quarterback Jameis Winston was lost for the season, did Kamara's fantasy value no favors. We can't place all the blame on his environment, however. Kamara's 1.5 yards per carry after contact was by far the worst performance of his career in that metric, as he'd consistently been in the 2.2-2.3 range the three years prior. A knee injury in the middle of the season may have been a factor in that decline, though his YPC was actually worse (3.6) before he missed any games. Between the relative down year in 2021 and a February 2022 arrest for battery allegations, Kamara comes with quite a bit of downside risk to balance out the still-high ceiling. It doesn't help that Sean Payton left the Saints, nor is it promising that the team remains without a franchise QB after missing out on Deshaun Watson this offseason. On the other hand, Kamara did account for 20.9 percent of Winston's targets in a run-heavy offense the first half of last season, and another year together could allow the duo to improve their chemistry. The days of Kamara seeing triple-digit targets may be gone, however. Read Past Outlooks

RANKS

#17.31

ADP

Overall

Running Back

Bye Week 14

Height 5'10"

Weight 215

DOB 7/25/1995

College Tennessee

Drafted 3rd Rd 2017 #67 Overall

Season-high rushing yards Week 18

RBNew Orleans Saints

January 8, 2023

Kamara posted 23 carries for 107 yards and gathered in one of two targets for three yards during Sunday's 10-7 defeat to Carolina.

ANALYSIS
Kamara closed out his 2022 campaign with his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. He also matched his season high for rushing attempts, and he finished with three games of 20 or more carries over the final four weeks of the regular season. Over 15 contests, Kamara recorded 223 carries for 897 yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 57 receptions (on 77 targets) for 490 yards and two receiving touchdowns. While he didn't come close to matching his usual standard as a scorer, the 27-year-old running back still accumulated over 1,300 total yards for the sixth time in as many seasons. Kamara also started the 2022 campaign hampered by a rib injury, though he still handled 280 touches. These are both encouraging signs for his status as one of the top fantasy running backs heading into the 2023 campaign.

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NFL Stats

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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats

See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.

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Advanced NFL Stats

How do Alvin Kamara's 2022 advanced stats compare to other running backs?

This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.

Broken Tackle %
The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
Positive Run %
The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
% Yds After Contact
The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
Avg Yds After Contact
The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
Rushing TD %
Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
Touches Per Game
The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
% Snaps w/Touch
The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
Air Yards Per Game
The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
Air Yards Per Snap
The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
% Team Air Yards
The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
% Team Targets
The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
Avg Depth of Target
Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
Catch Rate
The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
Drop Rate
The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
Avg Yds After Catch
The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
% Targeted On Route
Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
Avg Yds Per Route Run
Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.

Broken Tackle %

13.0%

Positive Run %

82.5%

% Yds After Contact

60.0%

Avg Yds After Contact

2.4

Rushing TD %

0.9%

Touches Per Game

18.7

% Snaps w/Touch

45.1%

Air Yards Per Game

5.2

Air Yards Per Snap

0.13

% Team Air Yards

1.8%

% Team Targets

15.8%

Avg Depth of Target

1.0 Yds

Catch Rate

74.0%

Drop Rate

7.8%

Avg Yds After Catch

8.2

% Targeted On Route

25.2%

Avg Yds Per Route Run

1.61

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2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

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2021 NFL Game Log

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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart

Snap Counts

Snap %

Saints 2022 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts

A.Alvin Kamara

M.Mark Ingram

D.David Johnson

D.Dwayne Washington

T.Tony Jones

L.Latavius Murray

E.Eno Benjamin

J.Jordan Howard

#% of Team Snaps

62161%

19619%

586%

404%

333%

252%

111%

40%

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#1 RB

Saints

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Receiving Alignment Breakdown

See where Alvin Kamara lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.

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2022 Alvin Kamara Split Stats

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Measurables Review View College Player Page

How do Alvin Kamara's measurables compare to other running backs?

This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.

* The Cone Drill metric is from his Pro Day. All others are from the NFL Combine.

Height

5' 10"

Weight

215 lbs

40-Yard Dash

4.56 sec

Cone Drill*

7.06 sec

Vertical Jump

39.5 in

Broad Jump

131 in

Bench Press

15 reps

Hand Length

9.25 in

Arm Length

32.75 in

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

Kamara did everything he could to make sure Drew Brees' swan song would be memorable. The running back finished last year with career highs in rushing yards, rushing TDs, receiving yards and catches as he took on an even larger role in the Saints offense while WR Michael Thomas battled through injuries. Putting one of the most elusive open-field runners behind one of the best offensive lines in the league made for a very dangerous combination, and Kamara finished eighth among RBs in average yards before contact (2.8), his highest ranking in the last three years. However, Brees retired, and that creates a level of uncertainty for the whole offense in 2021, especially with star wideout Michael Thomas out for the early part of the season while rehabbing from ankle surgery. Kamara was already the centerpiece of the offense, and while it may not be as efficient on past years, he could take on extra volume if the Saints' young wide receivers and tight ends struggle to replace Thomas or the team's free-agent losses (WR Emmanuel Sanders, TE Jared Cook).

Last season was a disappointment for Kamara, as lower-leg injuries hampered him down the stretch and limited him to "only" 1,330 total yards and six TDs, the lowest totals of his three-year career. When he's in top form, the Tennessee product remains one of the most electric open-field runners in the league and one of the top receiving threats out of the backfield, and he's remarkably hauled in exactly 81 passes in each of his three seasons. Before the injuries began to slow him, Kamara was right on pace for another brilliant campaign, averaging 7.1 yards per target through his first six games but only 4.3 YPT over his last nine, including the playoffs. Kamara's secret weapon has always been his surprising power and sturdiness as a rusher at 5-10, 215. Even in a season when he was often performing at less than 100 percent as he gutted out his injuries, he led the league in broken tackle rate with one for every 5.9 carries. Latavius Murray is still in town as a solid, veteran backup, but the Saints don't have much else behind him and are all-in on the 2020 season, i.e., Kamara has some leverage in his ongoing contract negotiations.

As great as Kamara has been through his first two NFL seasons, it's possible he's only scratching the surface of his potential. His carries jumped by more than 60 percent last year without taking anything away from his role in the passing game, resulting in 18 total TDs. The Saints weren't afraid to use him in short-yardage situations (his 16 carries inside the 5 tied for fifth in the league) and the decision to let Mark Ingram walk this offseason and replace him with Latavius Murray suggests Kamara's role on the ground could expand further in 2019. The extra volume did result in lower efficiency, but the third-year back possesses top-shelf elusiveness and speed in the open field, and he consistently runs with toughness. Drew Brees' knack for finding Kamara in space doesn't hurt, either. Some time soon, New Orleans might have to reckon with a decline from its legendary QB, but Kamara will help cushion that blow when it eventually falls. If he joins the 300-touch club, he could take a run at 2,000 scrimmage yards.

A third-round pick out of Tennessee last year, Kamara joined the Saints with some uncertainty as to his eventual role. Unable to earn a full workload in college despite flashes of brilliance, he seemed stuck behind Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson on the depth chart, and there were concerns that the rookie wouldn't be able to stand up to an NFL pounding. One year later, those concerns have all been washed away in the flood of highlight-reel plays Kamara produced. He led running backs in receiving yards and also led the league in percentage of carries that went for at least 15 yards, with 11 such runs on 120 totes (9.2 percent). His presence prevented defenses from keying on Ingram, and the duo became the first RB teammates in history to both top 1,500 scrimmage yards in a season. Kamara displays excellent speed and elusiveness, but it's his change-of-direction skills and world-class acceleration that really set him apart. He can explode into and through even the smallest hole before it closes, and his ability to shift gears, change direction and rev back up in the open field routinely makes defenders look foolish. Ingram is suspended the first four games of the season, and while the Saints say they don't want to increase Kamara's workload too much, it's hard not to get excited for the possibility of what he could do with an additional 5-8 touches per game.

The Saints have a history of utilizing speedy pass-catching backs in their offense, so when Kamara fell into the third round of this year's draft, the New Orleans front office pounced, trading a second-round pick in 2018 to grab him. At 5-10, 215, Kamara has decent size, but it's his top-end speed and explosiveness that set him apart, making him a threat to take the ball to the end zone any time he gets it in open space. He's also a very good receiver and route runner. His vision is suspect, and he never got a chance to prove he can handle a full workload in college, but with Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson also in the Saints' backfield, he won't be asked to do anything outside of his comfort zone. Kamara's touches as a rookie may be limited, but his per-play efficiency could be off the charts.

More Fantasy News

Loses work to Hill

RBNew Orleans Saints

January 1, 2023

Kamara rushed the ball 16 times for 74 yards in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Eagles. He added one reception for seven yards.