Kendre Miller (Saints) NFL Draft Preview
Post-Draft Fantasy Impact
Kendre Miller ended up going to the Saints in the third round of the NFL draft. He was picked 71st overall and was the fourth Running Back off the board.
At first glance it seems like a horrible landing spot for a rookie back. The Saints obviously have star Running Back Alvin Kamara as the defacto number one, and added another strong back in Jamaal Williams in free agency. So it seems a bit silly to use a pick this high on a Running Back.
But when you dive deeper, you can see that Miller may have some fantasy relevancy this season after all. Head Coach Dennis Allen had this to say on Miller: “We felt that having that guy that can get the tough yards for us was important,” head coach Dennis Allen said. “As much of anything is just trying to take a little bit of that load off of Alvin.”
It’s true that Kamara has disappointed fantasy players in recent years, even though he still puts up decent stats. That said, in the last two seasons Kamara hasn’t scored much, and his receiving numbers are down. That could be due to losing Sean Payton and Quarterback Drew Brees. It could also be that Kamara is almost 28 and may be losing a step.
Kamara also has a suspension potentially coming this year due to a felony battery charge from 2022. The case has been postponed a few times already, but the NFL could finally dole out a suspension. If that happens, Miller will see a ton of usage early. If it doesn’t….well…Miller might be used very sparingly this season.
Fantasy players will have to wait to see how the Kamara drama unfolds before drafting Miller. If we don’t hear news before the season, I probably will pass on drafting Miller. Williams is a short-yardage back who probably will be utilized around the goalline (capping Miller’s scoring chances), and Kamara will get a majority of the remaining work. That would mean Miller would see limited snaps as mostly a guy who gives Kamara a break. Or at best rotates in for entire drives as the first and second-down back.
Long story short: Kamara suspended? Miller is a solid later-round draft pick for fantasy purposes. Kamara not suspended? Maybe wait and grab him off waivers in hopes he becomes a handcuff should Kamara get injured. I just think Kamara and Williams have too much skill and too much gas left in the tank to make Miller relevant this season. He may be a solid dynasty pick, however.
Kendre Miller NFL Draft Preview
Kendre Miller burst onto the scene in 2022 with a fantastic junior season that helped propel the TCU Horned Frogs to the National College Football playoff. Unfortunately, he sprained his MCL against Michigan and did not play in the National Championship against Georgia (some may argue none of the Horned Frogs played in that game…).
Miller played three seasons for TCU, with middling usage his first two seasons. As a junior, however, Miller rushed 224 times for 1399 yards and 17 touchdowns. He added 16 receptions for 116 yards.
Overall Miller finished his college career with 361 carries for 2410 yards and 26 touchdowns. He averaged 6.7 ypc.
He was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist in his final season.
Miller did not participate in any NFL combine drills due to the sprained MCL he suffered during the National College Football playoffs.
He is currently considered a second/third-round pick.
Measurables
- 5’11” 215 lbs
- 40-yard dash – 4.58 seconds (unofficial)
Kendre Miller made one cut and hit the paydirt 😤 pic.twitter.com/dcWoQfrxj4
— ESPN (@espn) November 13, 2022
POSITIVES
Miller is a well-rounded back with good size and speed.
His speed isn’t the top of the draft, but he has enough of it to beat defenders to the edge.
His size makes him a good pass blocker who can pick up blitzes.
Miller’s size also adds to his strength, making him a tough tackle. He seems to always fall forwards and fights for the extra yards.
He has good vision that allows him to make proper cut backs and find holes as they open up on the line.
kendre miller is one of my favorite running back prospects in this class. his lateral movement skills, patience/footwork & big play ability to at 220lbs is something nfl teams should covet.
a strong combine & his draft stock should 📈🚀#2023NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/81qsKtms1U
— Ray G (@RayGQue) February 20, 2023
NEGATIVES
Miller often runs too upright and can be taken down easily if caught off guard.
He really doesn’t offer a ton of experience in pass-catching, and probably would function more as a dump-off safety valve than an actual route runner.
He sometimes lacks patience and doesn’t wait for his blockers to get in front of him.
GRADE – B
Miller doesn’t have a ton of flaws, although we really only saw one big season from him in college.
He has the size and strength to be an NFL back, and decent enough speed to hit corners and create big play opportunities.
That said, Miller isn’t anything special in the pass or blocking game, so he probably will need to improve on both if he wants to be a three-down back.
This one really depends on where he gets drafted. He easily could be in line for a lead role or timeshare, or he could be utilized sparingly if the team that drafts him already has a starting back.
Happily married father of two boys. I love all sports, although prefer watching them since I’m a wildly mediocre athlete. And that’s why I write fantasy football articles! I’ve been writing for Fantasyfootballcalculator for over six years now. Besides that, I enjoy watching Badger football and basketball even though it raises my blood pressure. In my downtime, I enjoy traveling with my family, playing video games with friends, and golfing.
