Whew. You missed a big-time play if you didn't make it to your seat in time for the opening kickoff of the New Orleans Saints preseason. Veteran running back Ty Chandler started affairs with a bang -- catching the Jacksonville Jaguars' kick at his own 5-yard and returning it for 86 yards to flip the field. And on the next snap, the first play from scrimmage, his teammate Audric Estime elbowed into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown run. It's exactly what we needed to see from both guys. The Saints went into this first preseason game without four of their seven running backs. Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara, listed as co-starters on the unofficial depth chart, were both inactive with the rest of the starting unit. Backup draft picks Kendre Miller and Devin Neal were ruled out with back and hamstring injuries, respectively. That meant Estime, Chandler, and rookie free agent CJ Donaldson (an Ohio State grad who transferred from West Virginia) were the only available options.
WHEELS 🔥#Saints | 📺: FOX-8 pic.twitter.com/r8wTEHiTJX — New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 15, 2026 Estime's strong finish to the 2025 season gives him an edge over the other guys lower on the depth chart, but Chandler was brought in for his skills on special teams, and moments like this will loom large when the coaches gather to decide roster cuts at the end of August. Let's see if they can both keep that momentum going. This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: WATCH: Ty Chandler starts Saints' preseason with 86-yard kick return