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Travis Etienne injury a huge blow, out at least 4 games

Dustin JudgeDustin Judge
Saints running back Alvin Kamara at 2025 training camp; his role grows after the Travis Etienne injury

The New Orleans Saints placed running back Travis Etienne Jr. on injured reserve Thursday, Oct. 1, and the Travis Etienne injury, a hamstring problem, will keep him out at least four games, ESPN’s Katherine Terrell reported. The earliest he can return is Sunday, Nov. 8, against the Cleveland Browns, after the Saints’ Week 8 bye.

Coach Kellen Moore said the Travis Etienne injury did not require surgery, but he would not commit to a return right at the four-game minimum. “It’ll take a little while,” Moore said. “So obviously we felt like it would be at least four weeks and then we’ll just kind of see how this thing progresses.”

How the Travis Etienne injury happened

Etienne had been bothered by his hamstring in the days before Sunday’s 35-27 home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. He grabbed his left hamstring at the end of a 16-yard run in the third quarter and did not return, according to ESPN. He finished with 13 carries for 57 yards, both season highs, per ESPN’s box score.

Moore told Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football on Monday that Etienne was expected to miss time, CBS Sports noted. Etienne signed a four-year, $52 million contract with New Orleans in March, as Total Apex Sports reported when he signed. He has 30 carries for 128 yards in three games.

Kamara and Miller split the load, Donaldson gets a niche

Moore said Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara will take most of the snaps opened up by the Travis Etienne injury, with rookie CJ Donaldson used in short yardage, on special teams and in pass protection. The Saints also signed Ulysses Bentley IV to the practice squad Thursday.

“I think Alvin and Kendre will handle that load really well,” Moore said. “CJ’s obviously kind of [got] his specific role.”

Kamara missed the opener at Detroit while recovering from a sprained MCL sustained in training camp, ESPN reported. He has 18 carries for 51 yards in two games, including nine carries to Etienne’s eight in the Week 2 win at Baltimore. Miller has 13 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown, though he did not have a carry against the Ravens, according to ESPN’s box scores. Kamara reworked his contract in July to return for another season, after speculation in March that he could leave New Orleans.

Four games without Etienne

The Saints (1-2) start life after the Travis Etienne injury by hosting the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Oct. 5, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. They also face Minnesota at home and the New York Giants on the road, then play Pittsburgh at Stade de France outside Paris on Oct. 25 before their bye, per the team’s schedule on ESPN. For more league news, see the Total Apex Sports NFL page.

Reporting from ESPN and CBS Sports contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.