Is Saints running back Alvin Kamara a boom-or-bust fantasy option?

Bust

Starting by looking at the glass half empty, there are a number of concerns that have people hesitant to take Kamara with a top-five pick in their fantasy draft this time around.

After being highly sought after as a top-three player in any league format, Kamara posted his lowest season in terms of fantasy scoring by nearly 60 points.

This drop in scoring could easily be attributed to last year being the first season of the young back’s career where he was forced to miss more than one game in the year due to an ankle injury.

The injury alone is grounds for major concern considering the sto-and-go run style that Kamara employs which is heavily reliant on balance. If that injury were to flare up again then Kamara could become a star snubbed by injury.

This dropoff was also reflected in Kamara’s updated Madden rating, which listed him as the seventh highest-rated back in the league.

Even after Kamara returned to the field, his numbers just never seemed to return to their prime form. In his return to the turf against Atlanta last season he only managed to put together 24 yards on the ground, and he never reached his rushing mark set in week one for the rest of the season.

Kamara may still be a strong contributor for anyone’s fantasy lineup, but unless he is able to find the endzone more often than his numbers will fail to reach their previous lofty levels. In many mock drafts, Kamara is being taken as a top-five running back.

For those who are hesitant, drafting players like Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry may provide a more consistent option.