Who Should I Start? Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley

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.

Wednesday, February 25, 7:02 AM

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni thinks running back Saquon Barkley will "be exceptional" in the new offensive system in 2026, according to Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic. Barkley had a down year by his standards in 2025, coming off a season in which he led the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005), and rushing yards per game (125.3). The 29-year-old had 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns on 280 rushing attempts in 16 regular-season games last year, when the Eagles had lows in yards per rush (4.2), average yards before contact (1.52), total rush EPA (minus-24.81), and rush-success rate (39.1) under Sirianni. The new offensive staff under Sirianni, led by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, is expected to install "more zone-blocking concepts" that originate from the Shanahan tree. Barkley should still be considered an RB1 in fantasy despite his down 2025 season, and a bounce-back could be coming if he stays healthy.