NEW ORLEANS — The Saints must prepare for a larger role for Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson after Travis Etienne Jr. suffered a hamstring injury against the Las Vegas Raiders. Coach Kellen Moore confirmed that Etienne will miss time, while Zamir “Zeus” White remains an additional option on the practice squad. For a 1–2 team preparing to host Atlanta, the challenge extends beyond replacing its leading rusher: New Orleans needs more efficient carries, better protection of the football and an offensive plan that turns its remaining depth into dependable production.

Travis Etienne #saints

Looks like a Left hamstring injury on this play. Dealt with a hamstring issue throughout the week pic.twitter.com/jsOrnZkQkH

— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) September 27, 2026

Quick Facts

• Etienne’s injury: Hamstring; Moore confirmed he will miss time. Sports Illustrated has reported that he will miss Week 4 against Atlanta. The official team update reviewed did not provide a precise return date.
• Active-roster alternatives: Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson.
• Additional depth: Zamir White is listed on the practice squad; his participation would require a roster move or game-day elevation. [2]
• Next game: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, Monday, October 5, at 7:15 p.m. Central.
• Team rushing through Week 3: 304 yards on 80 attempts, averaging 3.8 yards per carry and 101.3 yards per game.

What the Saints’ Rushing Numbers Actually Show

Etienne leads the Saints in rushing yards, but the injury also removes their most productive regular back by average gain this season.

Running back	Carries	Rushing yards	Yards per carry	Rushing TDs	Longest run
Travis Etienne Jr.	30	128	4.3	0	18
Alvin Kamara	18	51	2.8	0	11
Kendre Miller	13	44	3.4	1	8
CJ Donaldson	4	11	2.8	0	5
Zamir White	—	—	—	—	—

Source: Saints official player statistics through Week 3. White is a practice-squad option and is not included in these regular-season rushing totals. Averages are rounded to one decimal place. [2][5]

The four backs with recorded carries have combined for 234 yards on 65 attempts, or 3.6 yards per carry. Removing Etienne leaves Kamara, Miller and Donaldson at 106 yards on 35 carries, approximately 3.0 per attempt. Those are calculations from the official statistics, not projected production.

Three issues deserve attention.

First, the remaining backs have produced relatively little yardage per carry in a small early-season sample. Second, none of the listed backs has a 20-yard run. Third, quarterback and receiver rushing yardage contributes to the team total, so that total cannot be treated as a direct measure of the running backs’ performance.

Yards per carry also has limits. A one-yard touchdown can be an excellent result, while a four-yard gain on third-and-eight fails to extend a drive. Film and down-and-distance context are needed to separate blocking, runner decisions and play selection.

The Raiders Game Offered Progress—and an Important Qualification

New Orleans’ 148 rushing yards against Las Vegas look encouraging. One Tyler Shough run accounted for 36 of them.

Week 3 rushing group	Attempts	Yards	Average
Entire Saints team	28	148	5.3
Tyler Shough	1	36	36.0
All Saints running backs	27	112	4.1
Kamara, Miller and Donaldson combined	14	55	3.9

Calculated from the official Week 3 box score. These are full-game totals; the final row does not isolate carries after Etienne left.

Shough’s run supplied 24.3% of the team’s rushing yardage. The backs’ 4.1-yard average provides a more useful description of their contribution.

There was progress worth building on. Kamara gained 36 yards on nine carries, Miller added 14 on four, and Donaldson contributed five on his only attempt. Their combined production gives the remaining rotation a modest foundation.

It also helps explain why the coaching staff should evaluate individual plays closely. A high team average can coexist with possessions in which the backs struggle to keep the offense ahead of the chains.

The Injuries Affect More Than the Backfield

Player or position	Verified injury context	Practical consequence
Travis Etienne Jr.	Hamstring limited him earlier in Week 3; he practiced fully Friday, then left Sunday and is expected to miss time	Prepare the replacement rotation while awaiting further updates
Alvin Kamara	Missed the opener following an MCL sprain; returned for Week 2 and played Week 3	His return provides veteran help; distribute work according to current readiness
Kendre Miller	A Week 3 illness caused a missed practice; he returned to full participation Friday and played Sunday	The illness should not be presented as a current confirmed absence
Kelvin Banks Jr.	High-ankle injury requiring surgery; placed on injured reserve September 23	Asim Richards must handle the left-tackle assignment, increasing the importance of coordinated blocking
Other depth	OL Dillon Radunz and RB Ty Chandler remain listed on injured reserve	The available depth is narrower than the original camp roster

Sources: official injury reports, roster listings, transaction announcements and team reporting.

Miller’s longer injury history matters as well. His official biography records a season-ending ACL injury in 2025. That is background for planning his workload; it does not establish a new knee injury in 2026. [10]

The staff should avoid assigning a specific recovery timetable to Etienne without a confirmed update. Likewise, returning to a full practice before the Raiders game did not prevent another hamstring-related exit.

How Kamara, Miller, Donaldson and White Can Help

The following roles are The Who Dat Daily’s recommendations, not an announced Saints depth chart or workload plan.

Back	Recommended responsibility	What must support that role
Alvin Kamara	Lead the rotation, contribute on passing downs and share rushing work with Miller	Well-timed routes, useful space and a workload matched to his readiness
Kendre Miller	Receive meaningful series and compete for additional early-down carries	Secure exchanges, decisive reads, dependable protection and consistent availability
CJ Donaldson	Earn selected short-yardage and relief work	Correct assignments and technique; size alone does not guarantee a conversion
Zamir “Zeus” White	Provide an additional physical option if elevated or signed to the active roster	Practice evaluation, pass-protection readiness and a completed roster move

Kamara Needs Productive Touches

Kamara’s history makes him an obvious candidate for greater responsibility, but his current receiving production also needs improvement: six catches have produced only 12 yards.

Our recommendation is to create opportunities that let him receive the ball with room to turn upfield. Screens require timing and effective blocking. Routes into space can give Shough another answer when the defense crowds the run.

Adding touches should come with a plan for making those touches useful.

Miller Needs Opportunity and Consistency

Miller’s 13 carries provide a limited basis for a final judgment. He has scored a rushing touchdown, but his 3.4-yard average shows that expanded responsibility still has to produce better results.

A reasonable approach is to give him identifiable series, assess his reads and protection, and adjust the split based on performance. That lets the staff develop a rhythm without committing to a rigid carry quota.

Donaldson Has a Case for a Defined Role

The Saints signed Donaldson to the active roster September 18. The rookie is listed at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, and his official biography credits him with 10 rushing touchdowns at Ohio State in 2025.

That background supports evaluating him for selected physical situations. Four regular-season carries remain far too few to establish that he is a proven NFL short-yardage answer.

His opportunity should be tied to execution in practice and the ability to keep the offense functional when he enters.

White Is an Option the Saints Already Know

White produced four carries for 23 yards and an 11-yard touchdown in the preseason finale against Dallas.

That was a useful introduction, but a four-carry preseason sample does not establish what he would produce against a regular-season defense.

Our recommendation is to evaluate him for added depth and selected carries if Etienne’s absence requires another available back. His current practice-squad status must remain clear until New Orleans announces a move.

What the Saints Should Do—and Cannot Afford to Do

Priority	What New Orleans should do	What it cannot afford to do
Early-down efficiency	Match run concepts to the front and use quick passing when the defensive numbers favor it	Repeatedly force a blocked-off run into a crowded front
Blocking coordination	Rehearse assignments with Richards, the interior line and the tight ends	Assume changing the runner will repair missed blocks
Personnel variety	Keep credible run and pass options available with different backs on the field	Make each substitution an obvious announcement of the play
Ball security	Emphasize handoff exchanges, contact security and sound finishing technique	Give away possessions while trying to protect a lead
Workload	Give Miller and Donaldson defined opportunities and evaluate White if needed	Place the entire replacement burden on Kamara
Quarterback support	Build manageable third downs and reliable protection answers for Shough	Depend on another long quarterback run to make the rushing numbers look healthy

These recommendations require a film review. The available box-score statistics do not establish the frequency of missed blocks, stacked boxes or incorrect reads.

The staff should track how often early-down runs leave manageable distances, how often backs are contacted near the line, and which combinations consistently execute their assignments. Those indicators help explain performance beyond the final rushing total.

Positives the Saints Can Build On

The offense has useful complementary pieces. Against Las Vegas, Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant combined for 12 receptions, 86 yards and four touchdowns.

That receiving threat gives Moore a reason to explore formations in which the tight ends can participate in either a run or a pass. Their receiving success does not, by itself, establish how well they blocked.

The remaining backs also showed some improvement against the Raiders, and Donaldson and White provide alternatives to examine as responsibilities expand.

New Orleans has choices. The task is to make the choices fit together: the line’s assignments, the back’s read, the formation’s spacing and Shough’s options when the defense changes the picture.

What It Means

The Saints can approach Etienne’s absence with a shared workload and clear standards.

Kamara should be a central piece. Miller needs a meaningful chance to contribute. Donaldson can compete for a specific role, and White can provide additional depth if the team makes him available.

Success should be measured by productive possessions: manageable distances, converted short-yardage opportunities, secure exchanges and fewer situations that require Shough to rescue the drive.

The running game needs to help New Orleans finish games.

What’s Next

The Saints host Atlanta on Monday, October 5. Follow the Week 4 practice reports for Etienne’s status and any new issues affecting the available backs or offensive line, and watch for an announcement concerning White.

Who Dat Nation: Who should get the largest increase in work—Kamara, Miller, Donaldson or White if activated?

Follow The Who Dat Daily and The Sports Coma for Saints news, film discussion and game analysis.

Related reading:

• Saints Lose Kelvin Banks Jr. Indefinitely: Injury Timeline and Left-Tackle Options
• Saints Collapse in Fourth Quarter, Blow 11-Point Lead in 35–27 Loss to Raiders