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Estime was waived by the Browns on Monday. The Saints claimed him on Tuesday and he was their starting back by Sunday. Life comes at you fast. Kellen Moore made it a point to get Estime going early with three carries for him on their first three plays of the game. He gashed the Browns 32 yards on those three attempts alone. He would later punch in a goal line touchdown to give the Saints the lead in the fourth quarter. Estime will be the Saints’ lead runner until Travis Etienne is activated from injured reserve. That could happen as soon as Week 10, so fantasy managers shouldn’t count on another usable week from Estime anytime soon.

It wasn’t an overly impressive day for Estime, who was on the Vikings’ practice squad earlier in the week. But in the fourth quarter, with the Browns trailing 10-3, Estime took back-to-back carries for six yards, with his second resulting in a two-yard touchdown that would tie the game with just over eight minutes left in regulation. Estime could see a similar role in next week’s game against the Titans if Quinshon Judkins (ankle) misses another game, but he’ll be hard to trust as far as fantasy is concerned.

Estime’s signing comes as Quinshon Judkins is dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 5. Estime, who is only 23 years old, already feels like an NFL journeyman as he now heads to his fifth team in three seasons after brief stints with the Broncos, Eagles, Saints, and Vikings. The former fifth-round pick has rushed for 508 yards and three touchdowns in his career and rushed for 76-310-2 as a rookie with the Broncos. Estime could see snaps in Week 6 against the Ravens if Judkins is unable to play, but we wouldn’t expect to see anything close to a meaningful workload at this time.

Playing out the string for the Saints’ injury-ruined backfield, Estime reached 100 yards from scrimmage for the first time in his career after posting 98 the week before. Not a bad end to the year for a player who spent the first half of the season on practice squads. Still only 22 years old, Estime is buying himself time to get established in the NFL, but he still probably mostly profiles as a special teamer if he’s going to make a 53-man roster out of camp. Considering the Saints’ issues at running back, it could very well be in New Orleans.

Estime ceded the first carry of the day to Taysom Hill. After Hill easily out-carried him last week, it looked like that would be the case again versus Tennessee. The Saints quickly threw in the towel on Hill and handed the backfield over to Estime. He punctuated a solid day with a 32-yard sprint into the end zone in the fourth quarter. The touchdown gave New Orleans an eight-point lead that Tennessee never erased. Estime should hold this role into Week 18, giving him some RB2 juice versus the Falcons.

Estime was widely believed to be the Saints’ No. 1 back headed into Week 16 with Devin Neal and Alvin Kamara sidelined with injuries. But it was gadget player Taysom Hill who easily led the New Orleans backfield with 12 rushes for 42 yards, including all of the goal line work. Estime had sold pass game usage, running a pass route on 34 of the Saints’ 55 drop backs on the day. RB Evan Hull ran ten routes and was not targeted. Estime should be considered a deep league flex play in Week 17 against the Titans.

Given last week’s results, this makes sense. Saints RB Evan Hull and Estime were left to split work after RB Devin Neal (hamstring) left the Saints’ Week 14 game against the Panthers. Hull rushed four times for 12 yards while Estime rushed three times for 11 and caught 3-of-3 targets for 39 yards via two screen passes and one checkdown. While Estime never profiled as a deft pass catcher, it evidently occurred to Saints head coach Kellen Moore that Estime’s bruising, downhill style might be transferable in the passing game, if he can pick up a head of steam. Estime should be stashed at this time.

Saints RB Devin Neal exited with a hamstring injury, allowing Estime to get involved as a receiver while RB Evan Hull ran four times for 12 yards. Estime was churning his legs through contact after securing two screen passes and one checkdown target. Veteran RB Alvin Kamara (ankle/knee) has not yet resumed practicing. Estime could warrant RB3/FLEX consideration against the Jets in Week 16.

The Saints signed Estime to their practice squad after Kendr Miller went down with a torn ACL. He will now serve as the team’s RB3 behind Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal. Estime could see work down the stretch if the Saints decide to lighten Kamara’s workload, but even dynasty managers can do better with their last bench spots.

With Kendre Miller down for the year with a torn ACL, Estime looks like the replacement back between the tackles. Devin Neal is set up to have the first run behind Alvin Kamara, but it’s possible that Taysom Hill gets so many of the carries and gadget plays that Neal has no real ceiling. No need to rush out and claim Estime, but if he impresses the Saints in their building, perhaps he’ll get a shot later in the season. New Orleans re-signed Velus Jones to their 53-man roster as a direct replacement for Miller, but Jones is just a kick returner at this point.

The second-year back will get a fresh start in Philadelphia, perhaps eventually pushing A.J. Dillon off the roster. Also on Philadelphia’s practice squad are: LB Chance Campbell, WR Elijah Cooks, G Kenyon Green, TE E.J. Jenkins, CB Brandon Johnson, OLB Patrick Johnson, TE Cameron Latu, WR Terrace Marshall, QB Kyle McCord, CB Parry Nickerson, T Hollin Pierce, OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland, CB Eli Ricks and S Andre Sam.

Estime is the odd man out from the Broncos’ running back room, with the team jettisoning him a year after spending a fifth-round pick on him. He tallied 76 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns in a committee last season, but does not add much as a pass-catcher. With R.J. Harvey and J.K. Dobbins joining Denver’s backfield, Estime’s lack of passing-down work could not beat out the likes of Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie. He could find work on a team needing a downhill runner in the coming days.

“He’s a back that requires enough touches. He’s going to get those opportunities,” Payton continued. RJ Harvey is obviously going to be the main back for the Broncos for fantasy purposes this season, but it’s possible that Estime could carve out a bigger role in Year 2 ahead of other incumbent backs like Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie. Payton does love a good running back platoon. Estime should be drafted as the No. 2 back in Denver’s backfield for now, and if the Broncos offense ascends in 2025, he could potentially find himself as a fantasy RB3 as Harvey’s 1B.

With running back Tyler Badie healthy for the first time since Week 4, Estime became expendable in a Broncos offense that will also have Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin active. Estime rushed 76 times for 310 yards and two touchdowns this season and has been largely used as part of the Broncos’ three-man committee in a backfield devoid of a true RB1. Fantasy managers who have Estime in their DFS and/or playoff tournament lineups will want to make sure to get him out before kick off.

Estime played well as a clock-killer in the second half but his most important play was on the Broncos’ first drive. On first-and-10 from the Chiefs’ 32-yard line, Estime helped set up Marvin Mims Jr.'s first touchdown, pulling off the play-action fake before contributing a road-grading block for Mims en route to the end zone. Estime is earning Sean Payton’s trust by doing the dirty work. He is a shaky RB4/5 against the Bills next week but Estime appears to be ending his rookie season on a high note.

Estime received the most carries of any Denver running back, with Davonte Williams getting four and Blake Watson also picking up four with Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) unavailable. Estime was also the most effective rusher of the three; showing quality patience while picking up his first ever rushing score. Estime shows long-term upside, but the committee-approach on top of the fact he’s a non-factor makes him hard to recommend in 2024 as a fantasy option. He’s a TD-dependent FLEX in Week 17 against the Bengals.

The bad news is that Estime continues to underwhelm in the struggled Denver backfield. The good news for the rookie is that he could see extended run in Week 16 if Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) is sidelined in Week 16 against the Chargers. Estime, who has only one game this season with more than six carries, would split the backfield workload with Javonte Williams.

It was Jaleel McLaughlin that developed the hot hand against the Browns, taking his 14 carries for 84 yards compared to the 12 for Estime. It certainly appears the team has settled on McLaughlin as the lead back as they head to their Week 14 bye, now firmly in control of the final playoff spot out of the AFC.

Estime ran well behind Javonte Williams, who had -2 yards on eight rushing attempts. Jaleel McLaughlin managed 44 yards on seven rushes in another frustrating week for anyone trying to figure out the ever-changing Denver backfield. Estime, who had six rushes in Week 11, won’t be playable in Week 13 against the Browns.