Kendre Miller suffered a torn ACL in the New Orleans Saints loss against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Sadly, his trend of being injury-prone continues. The Saints are losing one of their most explosive offensive players, but this does open up an opportunity for rookie Devin Neal to shine. Expect to see an increased workload for Neal in future weeks.
Neal had a prolific collegiate career at the University of Kansas. He compiled 4,343 rushing yards, 49 touchdowns, and an additional 711 yards as a receiver. He is the Jayhawks all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. He fell to the sixth round in the 2025 NFL Draft because of a loaded running back draft class and his lack of breakaway speed. Despite this, he is set to contribute in his rookie season.
Alvin Kamara is still undoubtedly the lead back. However, it’s wise to manage his workload, given that he’s 30 years old. Miller has received more carries because of this. Expect that to shift to Neal now. Miller may be more explosive, but Neal could fit better as a complementary piece to Kamara.
Devin Neal will thrive running in between the tackles
Neal will make his money where Kamara struggles. This will allow the veteran to be a change of pace, dynamic player. Expect to see Kamara run more outside zones and get on the edge where he has more space. Neal can dominate on inside runs.
Neal excels at putting his head down and grinding forward. He has great contact balance and is powerful enough to run through arm tackles. It's not all power, though. Neal is elusive as well, which could create big plays. He will put the Saints in an advantageous position ahead of the sticks.
Neal only got one carry last week, but his impact was evident in pass protection. He’s a selfless player who is willing to put his body on the line to protect the quarterback. Neal is building trust with both Kellen Moore and Spencer Rattler. This, plus the Miller injury, will give him a far larger role.
Be on the lookout for Devin Neal to be featured more prominently in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He must step up in lieu of Kendre Miller. The rookie now has both the skills and opportunity to shine.