Finding elite running backs is like trying to find a needle in a haystack in today's NFL. One guy who can be considered among the elite is Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints.
In 2017, the Saints lucked out when Kamara fell into their laps with the 67th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Since then, Kamara has been a cornerstone of the Saints offense.
Since coming into the NFL, Kamara has molded himself into one of the best dual-threat running backs in the league. Alongside Mark Ingram, the Saints had the fifth-best rushing offense in 2017 and the sixth-best rushing offense in 2018.
Now, Ingram is no longer present and Latavius Murray replaces the bruising back. Murray isn't exactly the same running back as Ingram and overall, this should give more opportunities to Kamara.
Sean Payton has been patiently waiting to let Kamara loose but this may be the year it happens. The 2019 season could be the Kamara season for the Saints.
When discussing the top running backs in the NFL, most people allude to Ezekiel Elliott, Todd Gurley, or Saquon Barkley as the best. The numbers may not show it but Kamara has his own argument for being the best.
After that, here are three numbers to target for Alvin Kamara in 2019.
3. 200 Carries
Again, with Ingram no longer in the mix, Kamara should see even more opportunities in the offense in the upcoming season. The scary part for NFL defenses is, Kamara hasn't been used nearly as much as the other elite running backs in the NFL.
So far, in his two seasons in the NFL, Kamara has carried the ball just 314 times. Last year, Kamara had 194 carries in the offense while Ingram had 138 of them. This has allowed Kamara to maintain fresh legs in his career so far.
New Orleans may have brought in Latavius Murray to replace Ingram but it's unlikely Murray assumes the same role as Ingram had. Therefore, more carries should be coming Kamara's way in 2019.
For now, the bar should be set at 200 carries for the Saints star running back but he could easily surpass that number by season's end.
2. 20 Total Touchdowns
This just feels like a season where Sean Payton is going to absolutely unleash Kamara on the NFL. The missed penalty call in the NFC Championship game has been boiling up inside of Payton and he wants to let it out by annihilating teams.
With Drew Brees and Michael Thomas alongside Kamara, the Saints offense should once again be one of the best in the NFL. Last season, New Orleans ranked eighth in total offense but expect them to be in the top-five in 2019.
With even more weapons this season, there should be more opportunities to score for New Orleans. That includes Kamara, who always has a knack at finding the end zone.
In just two seasons, Kamara already has 31 total touchdowns and was just two shy of 20 of them in 2018. The electrifying running back will hurdle over defenders on his way to 20 total touchdowns in 2019.
1. 81 Receptions
Can Kamara be like the 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers and three-peat? What could Kamara possibly three-peat in 2019 you might ask?
The last two seasons, Kamara has had 81 receptions in both seasons. The Pro-Bowl running back is one of the best receiving backs in the NFL and is one of Brees' favorite targets through the air.
During Kamara's two years in New Orleans, he has been targeted a whopping 205 times in the passing attack. That gives the dynamic running back plenty of chances to get catches in the Saints high-octane offense.
With Payton calling the shots and Brees delivering the ball, it's safe to bet that Kamara will have at least 81 receptions in 2019 for the Saints.
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