Getty The New Orleans Saints will host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card game. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints have managed to stay 5-1 despite some potentially crippling injuries, and now running back Alvin Kamara currently finds himself dealing with a non-serious-yet-pesky one: a high ankle sprain. The sore ankle will keep him limited and/or out of practice all week and has left his status in doubt for the Saints’ upcoming game at Soldier Field this Sunday against the 3-2 Chicago Bears.
If he does play, Kamara won’t have it easy Sunday. He’ll be going up against a Bears defense that remains one of the most stout units in the NFL. The Bears will be rested coming off their bye, and they will desperately need to get a win in order to stay competitive in a very strong NFC North division.
Kamara has said he remains hopeful he’ll play, but in addition to the ankle sprain, he injured his knee Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His status for Sunday’s game is yet unknown, and we’ll provide updates on Kamara’s status as it’s revealed.
Alvin Kamara Injury Update:
GettyNew Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is dealing with a high ankle sprain. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Kamara was dealing with a sore ankle heading into the Saints game against the Jaguars, and then he “tweaked” his knee according to coach Sean Payton. “Obviously, he had the swollen ankle coming into the game, but he was ready to go,” Payton said. Then, during the game, “He tweaked his knee,” Payton noted, adding that he felt Kamara should be fine for their upcoming game in Chicago.
The Saints did sign free agent running back Zach Zenner on Wednesday per Ian Rapoport, a likely sign that the team wants insurance in the event Kamara can’t go.
Kamara did not practice at all on Thursday, either, according to Rapoport, leaving it more and more likely that the Saints will be without him Sunday in Chicago.
Once again, #Saints RB Alvin Kamara (ankle, knee) did not participate in practice.
Alvin Kamara Injury: Fantasy Football Impact
GettySaints RB Alvin Kamara will head to Soldier Field to face a tough Bears defense. What is fantasy football outlook against Chicago?
Kamara has scored just once this season, and if he does play, he’ll be going up against a Bears defense that is giving up 83 yards per game on the ground. The Bears have a top-five run defense, and even without Akiem Hicks, they should have enough depth to still stifle Kamara. Chicago is giving up 13.8 points a game, so this New Orleans offense will not have an easy time at Soldier Field.
After hurting his knee last week, Kamara saw his workload lessen against the Jags, and he split carries with Latavius Murray throughout the game. Kamara finished the game with 11 carries for 31 yards and seven catches for 35 yards. Murray finished the game with eight carries for 44 yards and three receptions for 35 yards. Look for a similar output against the Bears–and that’s if Kamara even plays.
If you’re looking to pick someone up who could fill in for Kamara, Murray is a definite option. He’ll likely be the Saints’ go-to back if they get into a goal-line situation, and he may be getting more work this week than he did last.
Final Verdict: Have a backup plan ready for Kamara. Right now, it looks as though there’s a 50/50 chance that he’ll play. Even if he does, he should probably be a SIT this week.