Bleacher Report ranks Saints running back duo among NFL's best

The New Orleans Saints are set to enter the 2026 NFL season with one of the league's most dangerous running back duos, barring a transaction involving Alvin Kamara. After signing Travis Etienne Jr. this offseason, the Saints paired the former Jacksonville Jaguars standout with Kamara, the longtime franchise icon.

>And that combination of Etienne and Kamara was enough for Bleacher Report's Moe Moton to rank New Orleans as having the third-best running back tandem in the league. Moton also made it clear the Saints could've been even higher if a few things looked different around Kamara.

>“The New Orleans Saints duo would be No. 1 in the rankings if Alvin Kamara had less extensive recent injury history and a clear short-term future with the team,” Moton wrote. “The Saints are still working through their options with the 10th-year veteran, who's in the final term of his current deal.”

>Even if he remains with the Saints in 2026, Kamara isn't expected to carry the same workload as he once was tasked with. The reduced usage for Kamara could actually make the Saints' backfield even more dangerous, allowing the veteran back to settle into a more complementary role that fits where he's at in this stage of his career.

>For Kamara, staying healthy will be the key factor. He missed 6 games in the 2025 season and has missed 13 games since 2023 due to various injuries. Moton acknowledged that Kamara's "body is starting to wear down," but added that he could be a "highly productive receiver" especially on third downs.

>Etienne, on the other hand, gives the Saints a younger and more explosive option to lead the backfield. Moton noted that the 27-year-old running back has finished with at least 1,399 scrimmage yards in three of the last four seasons.

>“At 30, Kamara’s RB1 years are over,” Moton wrote. “However, as the No. 2 tailback alongside Etienne … the Saints arguably have the best three-down running back duo in the NFL.”

>For a Saints offense looking to continue taking positive strides as their young core develops, the backfield could be one of the biggest strengths in 2026. Etienne should give the Saints a new lead option at running back, while Kamara, if still on the roster, provides value as a receiving back and as a change-of-pace runner. If both can stay healthy, the Saints could have a Kamara-Mark Ingram-like tandem in 2026.

>This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: B/R: Saints' Travis Etienne, Alvin Kamara one of the NFL's best duos