Is Travis Etienne Jr. the Saints’ Ultimate 2026 X-Factor?

For nearly a decade, the New Orleans Saints' ground game has been missing a distinct, terrifying element: the absolute home-run threat. Earlier this year we talked about the one-two combination of Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne for 2026. With the Saints and Kamara reaching a unified stance, we will get to see this play out for 2026.

While Kamara remains the gold standard for backfield versatility and modern football IQ, the reality of the Saints' recent rushing attack is stark. New Orleans averaged a dismal 3.7 yards per carry last year, ranking 31st in the NFL. Worse yet, the explosive, chunk-play threat had completely evaporated; over the last four years, the entire Saints roster combined managed just 23 carries of 20 or more yards.