Avoid Alvin Kamara's ADP - 2022 Fantasy Outlook

Sep 19, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) with the ball in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

DFS Army’s Gthom breaks down Alvin Kamara’s fantasy value now that he expects a six-game suspension, according to PFT.

For weeks in best ball drafts and mock drafts, fantasy managers slowly saw Kamara’s ADP trickle down but now it should begin to plummet. Kamara is currently the RB10 off the board for the Sleeper platform and on Underdog Fantasy, he is RB12.

The issue with Kamara’s ADP is that he’s reportedly preparing for a six game suspension from the NFL, according to PFT. This stems from an incident which took place in Las Vegas. A group of people that included Kamara allegedly punched and kicked a man multiple times, causing serious bodily harm. Kamara has been charged with felony battery in Las Vegas.

Kamara was arrested right after the Pro Bowl ended at Allegiant Stadium. The Saints running back cooperated with law enforcement by agreeing to waive his rights and speak with officers directly. During this time Kamara said he saw the fight breakout and he saw the victim get punched. Kamara even confessed that he threw “a couple punches thinking the guy was running away.”

None of this is looking good for Alvin Kamara: this happened while on NFL business and the arrest was made on-site of an NFL event. And if the NFL’s protocols hold up, Kamara is in-fact staring down a six-game suspension or longer. Any event of felony battery is punishable by the NFL for no less than six games according to the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

When Will a Suspension Be Announced?

It is tough to say when the suspension decision will be passed down. The NFL typically stays out of the way while criminal investigations and trials are held. Kamara has a hearing at the beginning of August and it will likely not be the last for this case. If the NFL truly does wait for all of the criminal court proceedings to conclude, Kamara may be able to play quite a few games before being suspended.

Avoiding Alvin Kamara in 2022

When healthy and productive there are few that can hang with Kamara for fantasy football, but drafting a running back that could miss six or more games… especially in the range of other RB1’s… is fantasy suicide. The risks greatly outweigh the rewards for fantasy managers.

Your first 2-to-3 picks in your fantasy drafts must produce consistently and bring ceiling games into the mix. Unless Kamara is in the mid-to-low RB2 range, it may be best to avoid him all together in 2022 fantasy football.

Fantasy Impact of Kamara’s Potential Suspension

If a suspension is given expect Mark Ingram to get more volume. At 32 years old, Ingram is not going to blow anyone away with his talent, but the opportunities could be interesting. Additionally if this New Orleans offense can improve from last year (with Jameis Winston healthy), Ingram could see a RB2-worthy amount of red zone carries.

From there it feels that Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry will be more depended on as well. Thomas is still dealing with his ankle injury after a lengthy absence (scary to see how slow it has progressed). Thus Landry becomes an interesting option since he is WR59 on Underdog Fantasy. Landry was signed this off season to sure up the wide receiver room. It would not be a surprise if Landry becomes the WR1 for the Saints, especially with Thomas’s injury timeline.

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