METAIRIE, La. -- Alvin Kamara had the same reaction as everyone else when he first found out he was wearing jersey No. 41 with the New Orleans Saints.

It's not exactly a classic number for a running back -- especially a dynamic runner/receiver like the Saints rookie.

But obviously the number has grown on Kamara as he is on a torrid pace for 741 rushing yards, 663 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.

"I was like, 'Man, 41?!" Kamara told ESPN Baton Rouge's Matt Moscona. "And Coach (Sean) Payton was like, 'Oh no, that's temporary. We'll change it. You're gonna be out of it. Don't worry about it.' And I was like, 'Alright.' I mean, it's cool.

"I've had opportunities to change, I mean, I've still got opportunities to change right now. I think I'm gonna stick with it. ... I think I'm gonna ride with the 41, I think I like it. I think all the fans and everybody, they've grown to it, too. So I think I'm gonna stay with it."

Kamara said his top choice would have been something like 20 or 21 -- but he doesn't have any plans to try and coax defensive backs Ken Crawley or De'Vante Harris out of them. He said he has assured fans that he doesn't have any plans on switching.

"I get messages and it's like, 'I want to buy your jersey but I don't know if you're gonna switch,'" Kamara said. "And I'm like, 'It's OK, go ahead and buy it.'"