Kendre Miller injury status: Latest on Saints RB's hamstring issue for fantasy football week 1

During the 2023 draft, the New Orleans Saints, looking to future-proof their running back situation, selected Kendre Miller in the third round. Coming off a very impressive senior season at TCU, whom he helped bring to the national title game, he was expected to be a key component of the running game.

However, a problem soon emerged. Miller sustained a hamstring injury that might sideline him from the Saints' season opener against the Tennessee Titans. He had not been practicing since then.

That would deplete the New Orleans backfield, whose star Alvin Kamara is commencing a three-game suspension for attacking a man at a nightclub on the weekend of the 2021-22 Pro Bowl.

---

Kendre Miller injury update: Will Saints rookie RB play in Week 1?

Unfortunately, it's unlikely that Miller will be on the field on Sunday. Insider Jordan Schultz gave the update on Saturday, saying that the rookie is questionable:

He was expected to be the RB2 behind Kamara before the suspension came out, but with him potentiall out injured, the responsibility of shouldering the ground game now falls on Jamaal Williams and Kirk Merritt.

Making matters even more dire, the Titans, despite eventually missing the playoffs, were the best at stopping the rush in 2022, allowing only 1,307 rushing yards.

---

Kendre Miller 2023 fantasy outlook

Kendre Miller at TCU

In college, Kendre Miller had a respectable career at TCU, but he did not become the potential star he was until his third year, when he exploded for 1,399 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. The Horned Frogs went unbeaten in 12 games before beating Michigan to reach the national title game.

That breakout performance was, however, apparently not enough to elevate Miller to first-round consideration. That's because the likes of Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson came off the board in the first round despite their respective schools' less successful campaigns.

Heading into his first pro season, FantasyPros has him as the RB55 and 166th player overall.

---

Should I start Kendre Miller in Week 1?

Jamaal Williams as a New Orleans Saint

The New Orleans Saints, as said before, have a backfield problem, but even if Kendre Miller were healthy, he would most likely be riding the bench anyway.

During the offseason, the Saints poached last year's rushing touchdowns leader Jamaal Williams form Detroit, in an effort to add support for Alvin Kamara, and Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer has Williams comfortably beating Miller:

Kendre Miller vs Jamaal Williams comparison

The rookie could theoretically start in Week 2 once his hamstring sufficiently heals, but once Kamara concludes his ban, he may have to settle with competing with Kirk Merritt for RB3.