Saints placing running back Travis Etienne Jr. on injured reserve

New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. is being placed on injured reserve, coach Kellen Moore announced on Thursday. Etienne, one of the club's top free-agent signings this year, pulled a hamstring during the third quarter of Sunday's 35-27 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. This injury will keep him out of a minimum of four games, with the earliest return possible being against the Cleveland Browns on November 8th.

The Saints' top remaining running backs include veteran Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, and rookie CJ Donaldson. All three players are expected to return for Monday night's game against Atlanta. Kamara is set to enter his third game since returning from a training camp knee injury, while Miller was a healthy scratch in the Saints' win at Baltimore.

Now, Miller could become a key player for the Saints' ground game. Miller, a fourth-year pro out of TCU, feels fresh and explosive after dealing with non-contact pulls and strains in the past. He sees this as an opportunity to showcase his abilities.