Donaldson logged three carries for 18 yards and caught both of his targets for five yards during the Saints' 45-24 loss to the Falcons on Monday. He also added a tackle on special teams.
Analysis:All of Donaldson's offensive production came on the Saints' final drive of the contest, when the game was already well out of reach. His 28 offensive snaps ended up being tied with Alvin Kamara for most among Saints running backs, with Kendre Miller (19) not far behind. Donaldson was more efficient with his touches than both Kamara and Miller, but for as much as the Saints' run game struggled in the absence of Travis Etienne (hamstring), it's hard to envision Donaldson as the lead back in New Orleans for the foreseeable future. That said, if Donaldson is trusted by head coach Kellen Moore as a backfield blocker on pass protection, then he could operate in an elevated role in Week 5 against the Vikings and their blitz-happy defense under defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
