CBS Sports has sparked debate by leaving the New Orleans Saints out of its top-10 running back duo rankings, with Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara not even getting an honorable mention. The omission stands out because the Saints appear to believe the pair has the talent to become one of the league’s more dangerous backfields.
According to the report, CBS Sports writer Jared Dubin was not ready to rank the Saints tandem among the NFL’s best before seeing results on the field. That wait-and-see approach suggests skepticism about how quickly Etienne and Kamara can develop into a proven two-man rushing threat.
From the Saints’ perspective, the ranking looks like an early slight. Kamara is already a well-known name in the offense, and Etienne’s arrival adds intrigue to the backfield. Even so, outside evaluators seem to be holding back until the duo shows consistent production together in real games.
For now, the Saints enter the conversation as a team with something to prove. The CBS Sports list may not carry any direct impact on the season, but it does underline the uncertainty surrounding how New Orleans’ running back pairing will stack up against the NFL’s more established duos.
