Is Alvin Kamara a legitimate 2020 MVP contender?

Through five weeks, there might not be a more impressive talent than Alvin Kamara. While quarterbacks get the love, Kamara should be in the conversation.

Is there a more important player to a team’s success right now than Alvin Kamara? Imagine the New Orleans Saints offense as a whole if No.41 wasn’t in the backfield.

Sad and scary thought right? For that reason alone, despite the love quarterbacks receive for their highlight moments and terrific touchdowns Kamara’s name should be considered on the shortlist for top talent in the mixed up 2020 season.

Much like one could argue the Seahawks would struggle without Russell Wilson or the Bills would blow it if Josh Allen played elsewhere, the 3-2 Saints would stink without their leading man. And when a player is so dynamic for an entire offense, doesn’t that make him the most valuable player in the league?

There’s a term for that — MVP, and Kamara has cemented his place in the conversation.

Is Alvin Kamara a legitimate MVP contender? 

New Orleans has been without the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Michael Thomas, for three weeks due to an ankle injury. He could have suited up Monday evening for the 30-27 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, but according to reports, was left on the bench after an altercation with defensive C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Even after signing Emmanuel Sanders as the No.2 weapon, Drew Brees has struggled to build a connection with the veteran talent in the slot. As for Tre’Quan Smith and Jared Cook, they’re both a four-catch per game maximum target with the ability to perhaps score a touchdown in the process.

Enter Kamara, the lone bright spot in an offense missing “Weapon ” in the passing game. It wouldn’t matter since the dual-threat wonder has proven his capability to be one of the league’s most elusive weapons.

In Week 2 against Las Vegas, he tallied 174 total yards, including nine catches on the way to a 30-24 loss. The following week against Green Bay, it was 197 total yards with 139 and two touchdowns coming after the catch.

In the fourth-quarter comeback win against Detroit last week, Kamara was instrumental of keep Pete Carmichael’s system afloat, cementing the victory with a 3rd-and-5 run with seconds remaining. And in Monday’s come from behind victory, it was his absurd finger-tip catch down the sideline set up a Taysom Hill touchdown to tie the game before overtime.

“Alvin is amazing. He’s a special talent, generational talent. His balance is unreal,” Saints tackle Terron Armstead said last week. “Just his anticipation and the way he prepares his body to absorb contact is Black Panther-like.”

For those unfamiliar with the hit Marvel hero, the Black Panther is agile, quick, but powerful with his hands and legs against his foes. Kamara’s early success speaks parallel to traits inherited by one of Marvel’s greatest creations.

In five games, the 25-year-old leads the NFL in total yards of scrimmage with 676. His 395 receiving yards place him just outside the top 10 in all targets. Meanwhile, his 39 catches have him ranked third in that category.

More important than all the numbers and hoopla, Kamara is back at full strength. Last season, the Saints actual Swiss Army knife (no, not Hill) suffered a sprained MCL in his knee and played “on one leg” for a majority of the second half of the season. The crazy thing, he still finished with 1,330 total yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.

And some people complain that’s low. However, now geared back to 100 percent, fans down in the Bayou could see an untapped side of the 2017 Rookie of the Year back in action.

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New Orleans can party all night watching their Saints go marching into first place of NFC South. That’s because of Kamara, who plays a position that is “easily replaceable” according to some. There’s a reason why players such as Kamara and Christian McCaffery will get paid top dollar despite their roles a running backs.

They’re not just running backs, so general managers need to pay two-position salaries.

If Kamara keeps up this pace, he could set a new NFL record to total scrimmage yards in a season. That should qualify him as an MVP finalist. Any struggle from one of the pocket-passers and Kamara will only see that stock boost.

“He’s a special athlete,” Brees said. “A special talent.”

Sorry old schoolers, but the kid has entered the chat. Best believe Kamara is making his mark in the MVP race all season long.