Will Williams Play in Week 7? Fantasy Impact and More

The New Orleans Saints backfield could get very tricky to predict for Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller in Week 7 if Jamaal Williams returns to the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here is the latest injury update we have on Williams and the potential fantasy football impact he could have in this backfield for Thursday Night Football.

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Latest News Surrounding Jamaal Williams

Williams was placed on injured reserve (IR) after the team’s 20-17 victory against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 after suffering a hamstring injury. Well, Williams did make an appearance on the practice Tuesday, which certainly suggests he has a chance to get on the field in week 7.

Will Williams Play This Week?

The Saints injury report listed Williams as a limited participant for practice on both Monday and Tuesday.

Saints RB Jamaal Williams back at practice today pic.twitter.com/32kJjUhCWG

— NOF (@nofnetwork) October 17, 2023

 

If Williams can get a full practice in on Wednesday ahead of their game on Thursday Night Football, it would certainly bode well for his availability against the Jags.

What Does This Mean for Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller’s Fantasy Ranking?

Williams dominated the touches out of this backfield in the season opener with 18 carries for 45 yards. However, that usage came while Kamara was serving a three-game suspension.

Since his return to the team in Week 4, Kamara has averaged 25 total touches a game, which actually leads the league on a per-game basis. Miller has been involved, but in a complementary role — only seeing north of 10 carries in a blowout win against the New England Patriots.

MORE: Week 7 RB Waiver Wire Targets

If Williams returns to the active roster this week, it would likely move Kamara slightly down the weekly rankings, but not outside of the top 20. There is no guarantee Williams sees any more work than Miller in a complementary role alongside Kamara.

Kamara is far and away the best pass-catching option of these three players, which is evident by his average of eight targets per game since returning from his suspension.

For some more context, neither Williams nor Miller have more than eight targets this season. Sure, Williams could carve out a role, but his efficiency was rough in the small sample size we got with him in the lineup this season (averaging just 2.74 yards per carry in comparison to Kamara’s 3.83).

If Williams is active, he will come in around the top 40 in my weekly rankings, while Miller isn’t a player I would remotely consider as a Flex option in Week 7.