Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or Breece Hall

Sunday, February 1, 6:46 AM

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is trending downward ahead of the 2026 NFL season. While Kamara is under contract for one more year with the Saints, he's losing his grasp on the New Orleans backfield due to his age, injury issues, and the emergence of younger teammates. Kamara was the overall RB46 in full-PPR leagues during the 2025 season, which was the first time he ever finished lower than RB16. While part of his slip can be attributed to Kamara missing six games, he also showcased reduced volume and effectiveness. He averaged fewer than 15 touches per game, he finished with a career-low 3.6 yards per carry, and he only scored one touchdown all year. He is now 30 years old and suffered a knee sprain in Week 12, so age and injuries may be catching up to him. He also faces more competition than ever, as Devin Neal (hamstring) and Kendre Miller (knee) both flashed the ability to occupy lead-back roles before landing on season-ending injured reserve. Trade rumors have circled around Kamara for several years, but he has indicated that he wants to remain a Saint for life. Now, it's a question of whether New Orleans wants to keep him on the books for 2026. This team is looking to get younger, and cutting Kamara post-June 1 would create $8.5 million in cap space.

Tuesday, February 17, 6:00 AM

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that "the winds have been blowing in the direction" of the New York Jets using the franchise tag on impending free-agent running back Breece Hall since the trade deadline. At that time, general manager Darren Mougey resisted overtures from other teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, who offered a fourth-round pick for Hall. The feeling is that Hall "would like to test free agency," so by placing the franchise tag on him, the Jets would have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. If no deal is reached, Hall would be under contract in 2026 and then become a free agent in 2027. If Hall makes it to free agency, he's expected to be a "hot commodity" and would be considered the top free agent at his position. Hall reached 1,000 rushing yards in 2025, the first time a Jet has done so since 2015. He also ranked 10th in scrimmage yards, ninth in explosive plays, and had the best third-down conversion rate among all RBs with at least 100 carries. Hall and the Jets may not be on the best of terms, but Rosenblatt argues that the Jets simply cannot let talent like that just walk out the door. Tagging Hall and trading him could be a possibility.