Saints backfield shake-up: Devin Neal’s road to fantasy gold under Kellen Moore

Devin Neal is headed to the Big Easy—but is there an easy path to fantasy relevance? The Saints snagged the Kansas standout on Day 3, but with Alvin Kamara aging and Kendre Miller still unproven, there’s a crack in the backfield rotation. Neal’s smooth vision, pass-catching chops, and no-nonsense running style could earn him more than just a depth role if things break right in New Orleans.

1. New faces on Airline Drive

• HC Kellen Moore – Hired Feb. 11, 2025 after coordinating top-10 scoring units in Dallas (2019-22), the Chargers (’23) and the Eagles’ Super-Bowl run in ’24.

• OC Doug Nussmeier – Moore’s long-time QB coach in Dallas, L.A. and Philly, now a first-time coordinator; Moore will still call plays.

What it means schematically

Moore’s offense is tempo-friendly, shotgun-heavy and built around 11-personnel (three-WR sets on 67 % of snaps during his Dallas tenure).

Expect:

Concept	Fantasy takeaway
Wide splits & pre-snap motion	Stretches defenses horizontally, opening lanes for zone runs and RB screens.
Vertical route trees	Forces lighter boxes, boosting YPC upside.
High RB target share	Both Tony Pollard (2020-22) and Austin Ekeler (2023) cleared 90 targets under Moore, hinting at dual-threat usage for Saints backs.

2. Meet the rookie: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas (Rd 6, Pick 184)

Season	G	Rush Att	Rush Yds	YPC	Rush TD	Rec	Rec Yds	Rec TD
2022	12	203	1,090	5.4	9	25	183	1
2023	13	203	1,280	6.3	16	25	217	1
2024	12	219	1,266	5.8	16	24	254	1
Career	50	760	4,343	5.7	49	77	711	4

At 5-11/215 with verified 4.46 speed, Neal posted three straight 1,000-yard campaigns and ranks top-25 all-time in Big 12 yards from scrimmage.

Calling-card traits: one-cut explosiveness, low pad level and soft hands on angle routes.

3. The incumbent: Alvin Kamara is approaching the 30-wall

Year	Age	Games	Rush Att	Rush Yds	Rush TD	Rec	Rec Yds	Rec TD
2022	27	15	223	897	2	57	490	2
2023	28	13	180	694	5	75	466	1
2024	29	14	228	950	6	68	543	2

Kamara turns 30 on July 25, 2025 and has logged 1,543 career carries + 573 receptions—2,116 NFL touches. Efficiency rebounded in ’24 (4.2 YPC) but his explosive-run rate (rushes 20+ yds) fell for the third straight season. The mileage meter is blinking.

4. Depth-chart math

Role	Player	Contract status
Versatile vet	Alvin Kamara	2025 cap hit $18.4 M (easy post-June cut in ’26)
Lottery ticket	Kendre Miller	2023 3rd-rounder, 94 NFL snaps due to knee/hamstring woes
Rookie juice	Devin Neal	4-yr deal, cheap through 2028

5. Neal’s fantasy pathway

1. Passing-down role day one

   
   

   • Moore’s offenses targeted RBs on 22 % of attempts from 2019-24 (league avg ≈ 17 %).

   • Neal’s career 9.2 YPR and only two drops on 104 catchable targets translate cleanly.

   
   

2. Kamara workload management

   
   

   • Saints averaged 22.1 RB carries per game in ’24; giving Kamara a 55/45 split keeps him fresh while showcasing Neal’s juice.

   
   

3. Red-zone upside

   
   

   • Moore loves shotgun inside-zone near the goal line (Pollard: 31 carries inside the 10 in 2022, Ekeler: 26 in 2023). Neal’s 49 college rushing TDs and 215-lb frame fit that package.

   

4. In-season ceiling

   
   

   • Any Kamara injury or decline vaults Neal into 15-touch territory in an offense that ranked 7th in red-zone trips with Moore/Nussmeier in Philadelphia last year.

6. Fantasy verdict

Format	Recommendation
Dynasty rookie drafts	Early-to-mid Round 2 pick. Three-down skill set plus Moore-friendly scheme is worth the stash.
Redraft (12-team PPR)	Priority late-round hand-cuff with standalone flex value; 40+ targets are within reach. I'd qualify him as a high-end handcuff worth stashing in redraft.
Best Ball	Spike-week candidate tied to Moore’s up tempo style; pair with Kamara for correlation.

Bottom line: Kellen Moore’s RB-centric passing game, Doug Nussmeier’s familiarity with maximizing dual-threat backs, and Alvin Kamara’s ticking odometer converge to give Devin Neal a surprisingly clear runway. Land him before preseason buzz inflates the price.