The New Orleans Saints just took a brutal hit on Thanksgiving. Top receiver Chris Olave missed Thursdayâs practice with a back injury, and star running back Alvin Kamara appears likely to miss Sundayâs game against the Miami Dolphins with a knee issue that has now kept him off the field for two straight days.
Olaveâs back injury first appeared on Wednesday, and the New Orleans Saints wideout was not on the field for the teamâs Thanksgiving practice, according to the latest injury report. Kamara, meanwhile, has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of last weekâs loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has now missed consecutive practices.
For a Saints offense already leaning heavily on its top playmakers, the timing could not be much worse with the high-powered Dolphins coming to town.
Saints Lose Top Target for Rookie QB Tyler Shough
Olave has been the clear No. 1 option in the New Orleans passing game all season. The third-year receiver has played in all 11 games and leads the Saints in every major receiving category, with 69 catches on 108 targets for 734 yards and 4 touchdowns.
His connection with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has been one of the few steady bright spots on offense. In Shoughâs three starts, Olave has racked up 17 receptions for 234 yards and a touchdown, including a season-best 104-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers.
If Olaveâs back does not respond in time for Sunday, Shough could be forced to navigate a critical matchup without his most trusted target. That would put additional pressure on the rest of the receiver room and the tight ends to pick up the slack against a Miami defense that can make life difficult when it knows exactly where the ball is going.
Alvin Kamara Likely Out: Major Blow to Saints Offense
The news is just as grim in the backfield. Kamaraâs knee injury, suffered early in the loss to Atlanta, has now sidelined him for both Wednesday and Thursday practices, and he appears likely to miss the Dolphins game, which would be his first missed contest of the season.
Kamara has recently been grinding through an ankle issue, and his explosiveness has clearly been affected. The veteran back is averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry this season. Even so, his presence on the field still commands attention from defenses, and he remains a key outlet as a receiver and a red-zone weapon.
Without Kamara, the Saints will need their other backs to carry a much bigger load in both the run game and the short passing game. It also increases the pressure on Shough to keep drives alive through the air and avoid putting the defense in bad field position against a Miami offense that can strike quickly.
What It Means for the Saints vs. Dolphins
Injuries to both Olave and Kamara dramatically change the offensive outlook for New Orleans heading into Sunday. The game plan may have to shift toward a more conservative, ball-control approach, with the Saints leaning on whoever is available in the backfield and asking the defense to keep things close against the Dolphinsâ speed.
There is at least one bit of positive news up front: right tackle Taliese Fuaga (ankle) was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday after missing the last two games. A healthier offensive line should help, but losing your top receiver and likely your star running back is a massive challenge for any team, let alone one starting a rookie quarterback.
As the week wraps up, all eyes in New Orleans will be on Fridayâs injury report. For now, the Saints appear to be heading into a key matchup with Miami facing a brutal double blow to their offensive firepower.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Saints Get Brutal Injury News: Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara Both In Jeopardy vs. Dolphins appeared first on Heavy Sports.