It’s been a frustrating season for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, despite his team’s success. On top of a handful of knee and ankle injuries that sidelined him midway through, he’s struggled to get into the end zone, scoring just two touchdowns all year (both in Week 3’s huge game with the Seattle Seahawks). Considering Kamara scored 14 touchdowns in 2017 and 18 touchdowns in 2018, that’s a huge drop-off.

But it doesn’t tell the whole story. While he hasn’t gotten many opportunities inside the red zone (meaning the opponent’s 20-yard line, which is prime scoring position), logging 29 touches in 11 games this year (2.63 combined runs and targets per game) after getting 110 looks in his previous 31 regular season games (3.55 per game). In addition to that context, Kamara’s efficiency stats are lining up well against what he accomplished just last season. He’s only averaged three rushing yards and five receiving yards less per game:

2018: 58.9 rushing yards per game, 47.3 receiving yards per game 2019: 55.6 rushing yards per game, 42.0 receiving yards per game

However, that’s not going to be very compelling to many fans after Kamara gained a combined 43 yards from scrimmage in the biggest game of the year last week, against the San Francisco 49ers. 17 of those yards came on one carry; without it, Kamara averaged an outlandish 0.61 yards per rushing attempt, including several negative runs.

Maybe Kamara’s lacking his signature lower-body explosive ability due to those injuries, and isn’t breaking tackles as often because of it — after shedding 27 tacklers in the first five weeks, he’s only broken 7 tackles since, per Sports Radar. Something is clearly not right with him. While still a fine asset, he’s not been playing like the cornerstone on offense fans have gotten used to.

However, Saints coach Sean Payton gave Kamara a strong vote of confidence, stressing the need for patience and reminding fans of the adversity Kamara’s dealt with this season in his weekly media availability:

“This is always one of those topics where he will have those games where he jumps out and we’ll call it a breakout game. Part of it is the way the games have unfolded,” Payton said. “There have been good opponents, he was injured for a few weeks there, there was some time when Drew (Brees) missed and Latavius has jumped in. Each week, there’s a different way that it unfolds.”

Still, at the end of the day Payton expects Kamara to reassert himself as a premier talent in the NFL, adding: “He’s too talented a player. I’m seeing everything in practice, the way he prepares. His best football this season’s ahead of him.”

So maybe Kamara is still knocking off some rust from his early-season injuries. Payton isn’t going to stop giving him opportunities to go be great any time soon, even if Kamara turns in a bad performance or two. Fans just has to hope he gets his mojo back before the playoffs start in a few weeks.