Devin Neal
New Orleans Saints·#24Season Stats · 8 games
Advanced Metrics EPA & Next Gen Stats
STM Take
The 2025 #64 (tier 8) rookie finish is fine for a 6th-round investment, and the Wk 12-14 stretch (11.1, 9.9, 15.4 PPR) is genuinely encouraging for a back drafted in that range. With Kamara turning 32 and seemingly ending 2025 early, Neal's path to a meaningful 2026 workload is the clearest in the room. The 2026 question is whether he can hold the lead role against Kendre Miller and incoming additions.
Neal came out of Kansas as New Orleans's 6th-round pick (184th overall) in 2025 after finishing his Jayhawks career as the program's all-time leading rusher (4,343 yards) and rushing touchdowns leader (49). His four-year college career produced four straight 1,000-yard seasons, an unusual durability sample for a small-conference back. At 5'11" and 211 pounds with starter-grade receiving production for the position, he profiles as a complete back. New Orleans drafted him as the long-term Alvin Kamara succession piece.
Strengths
- Kansas's all-time leading rusher (4,343 yards) plus four straight 1,000-yard college seasons is an unusually durable production line from a Big 12 program.
- Wks 12-14 2025 produced three games of 9.9+ PPR (11.1, 9.9, 15.4), which is starter-grade rookie output for a 6th-round pick.
Concerns
- 6th-round draft pedigree means he has to earn snaps in camp; there is no guaranteed workload reservation.
- Tier 8 rookie finish despite Kamara's likely injury-shortened season shows the efficiency metrics have not separated him from other rookie backs yet.
What to watch: Whether New Orleans hands him the lead role for 2026 or pursues a veteran in free agency to bridge the post-Kamara transition.
Fantasy Outlook
Devin Neal scored 60 PPR points, 7.5 per game this season. Compare him against any RB and track weekly rankings in our fantasy tools.