Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.8 21.8 0.1 1.6 10.6 0.1

Alvin Kamara News

Alvin Kamara Expected to Be Sidelined at Least a Month

Wednesday, August 19, 5:50 AM

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee) left Tuesday's joint practice with the Cowboys, and he is now expected to be sidelined for at least a month after being diagnosed with a sprained MCL, according to NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The five-time Pro Bowler dealt with a similar injury last season that kept him out of the final six games, and despite the fact that the Saints signed running back Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year, $48 million contract in free agency, Kamara was expected to have a significant role in Kellen Moore's up-tempo offense. New Orleans opens the regular season against the Detroit Lions on September 13, and Kamara's status is now in doubt not only for that game but, at 31 years old, concerns about any lingering health issues are amplified. Amid what had been reported as a strong training camp, Kamara had risen to RotoBaller's RB53, but Wednesday's injury update will likely see him fall off draft boards entirely.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
15.2 75.2 0.5 2.3 18.3 0.1

Saquon Barkley News

Saquon Barkley Sitting Out Preseason Opener

Saturday, August 15, 5:16 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley did not suit up for Saturday's preseason contest against the Baltimore Ravens. There's no indication of an injury for Barkley, so his absence is purely a result of the Eagles trying to keep him healthy for the regular season. The 29-year-old is coming off another solid season in which he tallied 1,140 rushing yards, 37 catches, 273 receiving yards, and nine total touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown totals were down compared to his RB2 finish in 2024, but he still contributed for fantasy managers as the overall RB14 in PPR leagues. We expect a similar finish -- low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 -- for Barkley in 2026, assuming he stays relatively healthy. He might lose some rushing volume to Jalen Hurts, but the good news is that Barkley faces minimal competition in the running back room, and there's one less mouth to feed in this offense after A.J. Brown was traded to New England.


Alvin Kamara vs. Saquon Barkley

Still trying to decide between Kamara and Barkley? 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 5.8 points this week while Saquon Barkley is projected to score 15.2 points.