Alvin Kamara (knee) has been out over the Saints' past three games, but he's officially "questionable" for Week 13's Thursday Night Football showdown against the Cowboys. His availability will have a big effect on Week 13 fantasy RB rankings and start 'em, sit 'em decisions, so knowing the latest injury updates will be key.
We'll continue to update this article with news on Kamara up until the official active/inactive report comes out on Thursday around 6:50 p.m. ET. For all the latest fantasy updates, follow us on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.
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Is Alvin Kamara on Thursday night?
UPDATE: Kamara has been ruled OUT for Thursday Night. Mark Ingram becomes a mid-to-low end RB2 option.
Kamara (knee) was a limited participant in practice this week, so it seems like he's closer to playing than missing his third game in a row. That said, we won't draw any conclusions at this point. If he plays, he's obviously a must-start, but what if he doesn't?
WEEK 13 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
It's worth noting Mark Ingram was a full participant all week after missing last week's game, so he's off the injury report. If Kamara is out, Ingram will be the primary back, a combination of Tony Jones Jr. and Ty Montgomery will likely take the rest of the touches on the table. However, neither look to be very attractive options.
WEEK 13 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Dallas is the No. 7 ranked defense against fantasy RBs, and if Taysom Hill is the starting QB as many expect, that could be trouble for New Orleans' pass-catchers. While stationary QBs are likely to dump the ball down to RBs when pressured or have nowhere to go with the ball, mobile QBs opt to scramble in those situations. In the four games Taysom Hill started last season, Kamara totaled just 10 catches for 51 yards. That is well below what we've come to expect. On top of that, Hill is likely to vulture red-zone and goal-line rushing opportunities -- kind of like how Cam Newton has done to Christian McCaffrey in the past.
WEEK 13 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
All things considered, we know it's tough to bench any starting running back, but just don't get your hopes too high for Ingram if Kamara is out. We have Kamara as the RB10 in PPR and RB11 in standard leagues because of his high ceiling, while Ingram will be a low-end RB2 if he gets the starting nod. Either way, there's risk involved with whoever you use in this backfield.