Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or David Montgomery


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.8 18.5 0.1 1.4 8.6 0.0

Alvin Kamara News

Alvin Kamara Expected to Play in Week 1

Thursday, September 10, 8:14 AM

NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill expects New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee) to play in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, barring a setback in practice late this week. Kamara's return would give the Saints' offense more ways to use two backs and create space on offense. The 31-year-old returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited fashion, and he is apparently trending in the right direction to be ready for the 2026 regular-season opener this weekend after being held out for most of training camp in the summer due to an MCL sprain in his knee. Kamara also missed the end of the 2025 campaign with a knee injury, and his role in New Orleans is going to look a lot different this year with Travis Etienne Jr. in town and expected to see most of the backfield work for the Saints. Kamara will still have a role, too, but mostly in obvious pass-catching situations. Kamara's expected return this weekend is not great news for Etienne's fantasy ceiling in Week 1. Even though Kamara should be rostered in PPR leagues this season, he will make for a risky RB3/flex if he is active in Detroit.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
12.9 60.5 0.6 1.8 12.4 0.1

David Montgomery News

David Montgomery a Safe RB2 with Predictable Goal-Line Usage

Friday, September 4, 10:04 AM

In his three years with the Detroit Lions, running back David Montgomery finished no lower than the RB27, twice cracking the top 20 despite sharing a backfield with one of the league's most dynamic players in three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs. Following an offseason trade to the Houston Texans, the eighth-year veteran finds himself once more atop the depth chart. While recent buzz has suggested that 2025 fourth-round pick Woody Marks could still see a prominent role after leading the team with 703 rushing yards as a rookie, Montgomery is expected to see the bulk of the early-down work and the most valuable touches around the goal line. The Texans ranked 29th in the NFL in 2025 by converting fewer than 46% of their red zone trips into touchdowns, while Detroit was a top-eight team in that category, with Montgomery scoring five of his eight touchdowns from within the five-yard line. No longer splitting goal-line work with Gibbs, who has averaged 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Montgomery is a safe bet to reach double-digit scores and should provide a predictable weekly floor as RotoBaller's RB20.


Alvin Kamara vs. David Montgomery

Still trying to decide between Kamara and Montgomery? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Alvin Kamara is projected to score 4.8 points this week while David Montgomery is projected to score 12.9 points.