50 Facts About Kendre Miller

Early Life and High School Career

Kendre Miller's journey to the NFL began with a promising start in high school, where he showcased his athleticism and versatility.

1. Birth and Early Life: Kendre Miller was born on October 11, 2000, in the United States.
2. High School Career: Miller started his football career as a high school quarterback, rushing for 2,508 yards and 34 touchdowns in his senior year.

Transition to College Football

Miller's transition from high school quarterback to college running back at TCU marked a significant shift in his career.

3. College Transition: He transitioned to running back at TCU (Texas Christian University) after his high school career.
4. College Stats: During his time at TCU, Miller rushed for 1,515 yards and 17 touchdowns in the 2021 season, earning him All-Big 12 first-team honors from both coaches and the Associated Press.

Physical Attributes and Draft Selection

Miller's physical attributes and draft selection highlight his potential as a professional player.

5. Height and Weight: Miller stands at 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 215 pounds.
6. Draft Selection: The New Orleans Saints selected Kendre Miller with the 71st overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

College Performance and Prospects

Miller's college performance and prospects made him an intriguing player for NFL teams.

7. College Performance: Miller was a productive and efficient member of the TCU offense, showcasing his ability to make plays despite being underutilized in the passing game.
8. Prospects: He was graded as a Day 2 prospect due to his quality size, functional speed, and burst, which made him an interesting fantasy option in the right situation.

Fantasy Outlook and Injuries

Miller's potential in fantasy football and his injury history have been significant factors in his career.

9. Fantasy Outlook: Miller has some Javonte Williams-like traits, with potential for a three-down role in the right situation, although this is unlikely and he is more likely to be a two-down grinder.
10. Injury History: Miller has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, including hamstring and ankle issues in his rookie season.

Rookie Season Highlights

Despite injuries, Miller had some notable moments during his rookie season.

11. Rookie Season: Despite his injuries, Miller managed to rush for 156 yards and one touchdown in eight games during his rookie season.
12. Week 18 Performance: In the Saints’ Week 18 win over the Falcons, Miller rushed 13 times for 73 yards and a touchdown, adding six yards on one catch.

Potential and Challenges

Miller's potential as a pass-catcher and the challenges he faces with injuries and competition are crucial aspects of his career.

13. Passing Game Potential: Miller has natural hands as a receiver but was underutilized in the passing game during his college days.
14. Coaching Criticism: Saints coach Dennis Allen has expressed frustration with Miller’s ongoing injury problems, stating that it’s hard to make the team when you’re in the training room all the time.
15. Current Status: As of the 2024 season, Miller has yet to play a snap due to a hamstring issue and is facing doubts about his roster spot.

Competition and Fantasy Value

The competition in the Saints' backfield and Miller's fantasy value are important considerations for his future.

16. Competition in the Backfield: The Saints have a deep running back room with Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams, making it challenging for Miller to secure a significant role.
17. Fantasy Value: Despite his potential, Miller’s fantasy value is limited due to the presence of established backs like Kamara and Williams, and his own injury history.
18. ADP (Average Draft Position): In fantasy drafts, Miller is typically selected around the 137th overall pick, which is relatively low due to his injury concerns.
19. Projected Fantasy Points: For the 2024 season, Miller is projected to score 79.55 fantasy points, which would place him around the 203rd overall rank and 50th among running backs.

Role in the Saints' Offense

Miller's role in the Saints' offense and his performance in training camp are key factors in his career trajectory.

20. Role in the Saints’ Offense: Miller is expected to be a depth running back for the Saints, potentially seeing more action if the team faces injuries to their primary backs.
21. Training Camp Performance: Miller has had a poor training camp, which has raised concerns about his future with the team.
22. Roster Projections: Many of the Saints’ main beat writers have not listed Miller as making the team, indicating a real chance he could be cut.

Potential Trade and College Tape Analysis

Miller's potential trade and analysis of his college tape provide insights into his abilities and challenges.

23. Potential Trade: The Saints could trade Miller before he returns to the field, given his injury history and the team’s depth at running back.
24. College Tape Analysis: Some analysts have praised Miller’s college tape, noting his ability to make plays and his potential for a three-down role, despite his lack of production in the passing game.

Injury Prone Label and Comparisons

Miller's injury-prone label and comparisons to other players highlight the challenges he faces.

25. Injury Prone Label: Miller is often labeled as injury-prone, which has impacted his development and fantasy value.
26. Comparison to Other Players: Miller’s career trajectory is often compared to other running backs who have faced similar challenges, such as Aaron Jones and James Conner, who emerged as fantasy relevant players after initial struggles.

Long-term Potential and Pass-Catching Upside

Miller's long-term potential and pass-catching upside make him an intriguing player for fantasy managers.

27. Long-term Dynasty Asset: Despite his current limitations, Miller is considered a long-term dynasty asset for managers who can think two years or more into the future.
28. Pass-Catching Upside: Miller’s pass-catching upside makes him a solid stash in PPR (Points Per Reception) leagues, even if he doesn’t see significant action on the ground.

Coaching Feedback and Hamstring Issue

Feedback from coaches and ongoing injury issues are critical to understanding Miller's current status.

29. Coaching Feedback: Dennis Allen has expressed a desire to see more consistency from Miller, highlighting his potential but also emphasizing the need for him to stay healthy.
30. Hamstring Issue: Miller has been sidelined since the start of training camp due to a hamstring issue, which has further complicated his chances of making the team.

Injury History Continues

Miller's ongoing injury history continues to be a significant factor in his career.

31. Injury History Continues: The hamstring issue is not the first injury Miller has faced; he also dealt with an ankle injury during his rookie season.

Competition and Potential Roles

The competition Miller faces and potential roles in the Saints' backfield are crucial to his future.

32. Jamaal Williams’ Role: Jamaal Williams has been operating as the Saints’ RB2 in Miller’s absence, but his inefficiency last year has raised questions about his own role in the backfield.
33. Taysom Hill’s Potential Role: Taysom Hill could play a larger role in the backfield if Miller is cut or isn’t able to get on the field before the start of the season.

Fantasy Draft Interest and College Performance

Miller's interest in fantasy drafts and his college performance provide insights into his potential.

34. Fantasy Draft Interest: Despite his injury concerns, Miller was a popular late-round draft choice in fantasy drafts last season, given his potential and the suspension of Alvin Kamara.
35. College Football Performance: In college, Miller was a standout player, rushing for 623 yards at a 7.5-yards-per-carry clip and scoring seven touchdowns on the ground.

College Honors and Tape Analysis

Miller's college honors and further analysis of his tape highlight his abilities and areas for improvement.

36. College Honors: He earned All-Big 12 first-team honors from both coaches and the Associated Press for his 2021 season performance.
37. College Tape Analysis (Continued): Miller’s college tape showed him to be a productive and efficient runner with good contact balance and the ability to create space from defenders through multiple movements.

Blocking and Footwork Issues

Miller's blocking and footwork issues are areas that need improvement for his professional career.

38. Blocking Ability: However, Miller has been criticized for his lack of technical prowess as a blocker, which is an area he needs to improve upon.
39. Footwork Issues: His footwork is also an area for improvement, as some of his unnecessary steps can hinder his overall performance.

Dynamic Playmaking and Zone-Based Blocking

Miller's dynamic playmaking abilities and potential in a zone-based blocking scheme are key aspects of his game.

40. Dynamic Playmaking: Despite these issues, Miller has shown dynamic playmaking abilities, particularly in situations where he has clear lanes to run through.
41. Zone-Based Blocking Design: In a zone-based blocking design that incorporates RPO (Run-Pass Option) elements, Miller could thrive due to his ability to make plays in space.

Potential Landing Spots and Rotational Role

Potential landing spots and Miller's likely role as a rotational player are important considerations for his future.

42. Potential Landing Spots: Miller could potentially land with teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, or Los Angeles Chargers, where he might find a more suitable role.
43. Rotational Player: In a more realistic scenario, Miller is likely to be a rotational player throughout his career, contributing in specific situations rather than being a full-time starter.

Red Zone Work and Long-term Potential

Miller's potential red zone work and long-term potential are key factors for fantasy managers.

44. Red Zone Work: Even if Miller were to see an increased workload, he would likely cede red zone work to Taysom Hill, limiting his overall fantasy value.
45. Long-term Potential: Despite these limitations, Miller’s long-term potential remains high, particularly if he can stay healthy and develop his skills further.

Coaching Confidence and MRI Results

The confidence of the coaching staff and MRI results provide insights into Miller's current status and potential.

46. Coaching Confidence: Despite his injuries, the Saints’ coaching staff has expressed confidence in their running back room, indicating that they believe in Miller’s talent but need to see more consistency from him.
47. MRI Results: In 2023, an MRI revealed that Miller had only sustained a knee sprain and not a torn MCL, which was a relief for the Saints but also highlighted his ongoing injury issues.

Pre-Draft Workouts and Kamara’s Suspension

Miller's pre-draft workouts and the impact of Kamara's suspension on his role are important aspects of his career.

48. Pre-Draft Workouts: Miller’s knee required surgery before the draft, which held him out of any pre-draft workouts, further complicating his evaluation by NFL teams.
49. Kamara’s Suspension: The Saints have been preparing for the worst-case scenario regarding Alvin Kamara’s suspension, experimenting with Miller in various roles, including as a high-volume receiver out of the backfield.

Future Outlook

Miller's future with the Saints and his overall potential depend on his ability to stay healthy and contribute meaningfully to the team’s offense.

50. Future Outlook: As the NFL season progresses, Kendre Miller’s future with the Saints and his overall fantasy value will depend on his ability to stay healthy and contribute meaningfully to the team’s offense.

Kendre Miller's Future in the NFL

Kendre Miller's journey in the NFL has been a rollercoaster. Despite his undeniable talent, injuries have plagued his career, making it tough for him to secure a consistent role. Drafted by the New Orleans Saints, Miller showed flashes of brilliance but struggled with hamstring and ankle issues. His college days at TCU highlighted his potential, rushing for 1,515 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2021. However, the transition to the NFL has been rocky.

With Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams ahead of him, Miller's opportunities have been limited. Fantasy football enthusiasts see potential, but his injury history keeps expectations in check. Saints coach Dennis Allen's frustration with Miller's availability underscores the challenges he faces. As the 2024 season progresses, Miller's ability to stay healthy and contribute will determine his future with the Saints and his overall impact in the league.