Saints RB Alvin Kamara gets murky injury update for crucial Week 18 showdown vs. Falcons

In what could be a game that ends up having major postseason implications, the New Orleans Saints could be without one of their biggest offensive stars. The Saints have been monitoring the injury status of Alvin Kamara all week long, ever since he departed with an ankle sprain last week versus the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but now, game day morning, the update on Kamara is far from promising.

“#Saints RB Alvin Kamara, who has done very little this week with an ankle sprain, will be given up until game-time to show he can go,” per a tweet from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. “He did very little this week. But they’ll hold out hope.” 

Despite missing the first three games of the season due to a suspension, Alvin Kamara still leads the Saints in rushing and is second on the team in receptions, but it’s very possible that Kamara’s best days could be behind him. For the second time in his last three seasons, Kamara is averaging fewer than four yards per carry, a drastic step in the wrong direction for a player who led the league in yards per carry as a rookie. But even in his diminished state, Kamara still represents one of the most dynamic playmakers on a New Orleans Saints team that has had their share of struggles offensively throughout the season, and in their biggest game of the year, you have to believe that if Kamara can go, he will go.

With a win, the Saints keep their Playoff hopes alive, but no matter what, they’ll need some help. A New Orleans win over Atlanta, coupled with a Buccaneers loss or tie to the Carolina Panthers, would result in the Saints capturing the NFC South for the eighth time. There are scenarios where Saints could still earn a Wild Card berth too, but again, it all starts with getting a win over the Falcons, and Alvin Kamara’s presence would play a huge role in that.