As his rookie season has progressed, necessity has pushed Devin Neal up in the New Orleans Saints pecking order.

And here it is happening again: After the Saints ruled starting running back Alvin Kamara out for this week’s game against the Miami Dolphins , Neal suddenly finds himself as the team’s lead back.

“I’m really excited for him,” quarterback Tyler Shough said. “He’s fully capable of everything we’re asking him to do.”

Neal, a sixth-round pick out of Kansas, played seven offensive snaps in Week 1 but then spent four weeks as a healthy scratch on game day. He saw his workload incrementally increase after No. 2 back Kendre Miller was lost for the season with a knee injury against the Chicago Bears, and now another injury leaves him as the top option.

He chuckled at the phras

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