With the Saints 30 days out from their 2026 season opener, Audric Estime is the player tied to No. 30 - and he’s suddenly a name worth watching in New Orleans’ backfield mix.
The Saints open on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13, and Estime enters the picture as one of the most interesting pieces in the running back room. He didn’t join New Orleans until mid-season last year, but injuries at the position pushed him into a much bigger role down the stretch. Now he’s in the thick of the competition for a spot on the depth chart.
Estime’s football path started with a huge senior season at Saint Joseph Regional High School in New Jersey, where he was the NJ. com Player of the Year after piling up 1,857 rushing yards and 22 scores. He then moved on to Notre Dame, where playing time was limited as a freshman in 2021 behind future NFL star Kyren Williams.
His production took off in 2022. Estime led Notre Dame and all independent programs with 920 rushing yards and added 12 touchdowns. He was even more productive the following season, finishing with 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
The Denver Broncos took him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, with former Saints coach Sean Payton making the selection. Estime flashed in a limited rookie role, posting 310 rushing yards and 2 scores. But Denver let him go at the end of the 2025 preseason, and the Philadelphia Eagles later signed him to their practice squad before releasing him in mid-October without a game appearance.
The Saints added him to their practice squad before their Week 8 game, then elevated him to the active roster two weeks later when injuries hit the running back group again.
Once he got his chance, Estime saw all 58 of his offensive touches come over the Saints’ final five games. That stretch included 46 carries for 198 yards and a touchdown. Over the last two games of the season, he totaled 157 yards on 35 attempts, including 94 yards in a Week 17 win at Tennessee, which was the second-highest rushing total New Orleans had all season.
Estime may not bring the same kind of dynamic burst as Travis Etienne, Alvin Kamara, or Kendre Miller, but he offers a different kind of value. He runs hard, sees the hole well, and can grind out yards the tough way. That makes him a real contender as the Saints sort through their running back depth chart for 2026.
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