Saints' Alvin Kamara: Sitting out Week 17

Kamara (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Panthers, John DeShazier of the Saints' official site reports.

The Saints clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed in the postseason with a win over Pittsburgh last week, so the team will keep Kamara and quarterback Drew Brees inactive and is expected to rest several other key starters in a mostly meaningless regular-season finale. Kamara's absence clears the way for Mark Ingram to start, though it's possible he'll only play a series or two -- if at all -- before bowing out of the contest. Instead, third-stringer Dwayne Washington looks like a better candidate to pace the New Orleans backfield in snaps and touches.