Mark Ingram has failed to live up to his first-round draft status in his three years as a pro. Frankly, he's been a bust.
But Ingram looked like a different player on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Finally clear of the injury woes that have plagued him since leaving Alabama, he ran with violence and punished the Falcons defense.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing from a fantasy perspective is that Saints coach Sean Payton kept feeding him the ball. Ingram finished as the team's leading rusher, carrying the ball 13 times for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
Ingram isn't about to become a true workhorse - Pierre Thomas had seven carries and Khiry Robinson had six and vultured a touchdown, and the Saints will continue to use a committee approach - but that shouldn't prevent him from having strong week-to-week fantasy value. This Saints offense will score a lot, and Ingram is first in line for the valuable red-zone carries.
Ingram was a late draft pick in most fantasy leagues this year - if he was drafted at all. You can't blame owners for shying away from him after the way he burned so many of them in recent seasons. But those who showed faith look like they are in line to reap the rewards.
