Saints' Travis Etienne Remains Out With Hamstring
The New Orleans running back, sidelined since Week 3, has no official return date as the Saints sit at 2-5 coming out of their bye.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Football
Saints running back Travis Etienne remains out with a left hamstring injury he sustained in Week 3, and he will miss the team's Week 9 game against the Cleveland Browns. The Saints are 2-5 coming out of their bye week.
Why it matters
Etienne was the running back the Saints signed in the offseason to be their top option, so his absence affects the team's backfield during a losing stretch. A further loss could push New Orleans toward selling before Tuesday's trade deadline.
Etienne has missed the Saints' first seven games this season after hurting his left hamstring in Week 3. Injured reserve imposes a four-week minimum absence, and the team has not yet opened his 21-day practice window, leaving his timeline unclear.
The players
Travis Etienne
Etienne is a running back who signed with the New Orleans Saints in the offseason and was expected to serve as the team's top back.
The details
Etienne was placed on injured reserve before Week 4 and has not played this season. He remains out for the Saints' Week 9 contest against the Cleveland Browns, with no official return timeline provided.
Timeline
Week 3: Etienne hurts his left hamstring.
Before Week 4: Etienne is placed on injured reserve.
Week 8: Saints return from their bye at 2-5 with Etienne still out.
Week 9: Saints face the Browns without Etienne.
Season Trajectory
Etienne's absence follows the league's injured reserve process, in which the four-week minimum has passed but activation is still pending. For a New Orleans team at 2-5, the timing of his return will shape whether the Saints compete or move toward selling before the trade deadline.
Fantasy managers relying on Etienne as a starter must account for his absence through at least Week 9, since he has not played this season. Saints fans should monitor the practice window, because an activation would restore the team's intended top running back option.
The takeaway
Injured reserve timelines can stretch well past a minimum window, so fans and fantasy managers should treat any return as unconfirmed until the team formally activates a player.
What happens next
The Saints face the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 and must decide whether to activate Etienne from injured reserve, with Tuesday's trade deadline following closely after.
Further reading
For more on the Saints' season, see Football coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Heavy.
