Alvin Kamara Day-to-Day with Foot Injury; Saints RB Says He'll Play vs. Bucs

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara says he will play in Sunday night's game against the New Orleans Saints despite head coach Sean Payton previously labeling him as "day-to-day" after he missed Wednesday's practice because of a minor foot injury.

"I'm playing on Sunday," Kamara said, per Luke Johnson of the Times-Picayune. "You ever stub your toe on the corner of a bedpost or something? That’s kind of what I'm dealing with. That's tough. It’s like, it sucks. That s--t hurts. I'm fine. I'll be out at practice tomorrow. It's more maintenance than anything."

According to ESPN's Mike Triplett, Kamara is dealing with a bone bruise. 

Kamara has emerged as one of the NFL's most dynamic dual threats since the Saints selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft. He topped 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons, a feat made more impressive by the team's timeshare approach in the backfield.

The 25-year-old University of Tennessee product did see his workload increase a bit to open the 2019 campaign. That could have been a factor in his uptick in injury issues last year, which included knee and ankle injuries that caused him to sit out Week 7.

If he's forced to miss time, Latavius Murray should see a lion's share of the backfield playing time for the Saints. The former Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings starter has proved capable of handling 20-plus touches. 

Ultimately, the Saints feature one of the league's most high-powered offenses, thanks in large part to the Drew Brees-led passing attack. So while the unit may continue to post solid numbers, a long-term Kamara absence would still limit the group's overall upside.