Saints Place Travis Etienne on IR, Putting New Orleans’ Backfield to the Test

New Orleans has placed running back Travis Etienne Jr. on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, the Saints announced Thursday, October 1. The move guarantees he will miss at least the next four games.

Etienne aggravated the hamstring during Sunday’s 35–27 loss to Las Vegas, according to Reuters. Before the injury, he had led the Saints with 128 rushing yards on 30 carries and added 11 receptions for 51 yards. Those touches made him an important part of an offense still finding its rhythm early in the season.

Who picks up the carries?

Alvin Kamara is the most experienced option available, but New Orleans will need more than a name on the depth chart to replace Etienne’s workload. The Saints also added running back Ulysses Bentley IV to their practice squad as part of Thursday’s moves; Kendre Miller and rookie CJ Donaldson are other options in the backfield.

The timing adds pressure. New Orleans is 1–2 and hosts Atlanta on Monday night. At least four games without Etienne means this is a stretch of the schedule the Saints must manage without the runner they signed in March.

Kris’s Take

The Saints should resist the urge to make one player impersonate Etienne. Kamara can steady the room, but a committee and a clear plan for short-yardage work are safer than forcing a veteran into a sudden every-down job. This injury tests the depth New Orleans built around its new lead back as much as it tests the offense itself.

Sources

New Orleans Saints official roster announcement, October 1, 2026 · Reuters report, October 1, 2026.