Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is expected to play in Thursday's game against the New Orleans Saints, according to Max Henson of the team website. That comes from head coach Ron Rivera, who said he "expects" Williams will return to action for the prime-time game.
DeAngelo Williams expected to play Week 9; not much fantasy value
DeAngelo Williams is expected to play in Week 8 against the Saints. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Williams has been dealing with an ankle injury since Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to that game, he also missed two games due to injury. In total, Williams has missed six games, and the Panthers are in bad shape. They're 3-4-1 on the season and rank 27th in the NFL with 92.9 rushing yards per game on average.
Fantasy Impact: Williams' return is likely great for the Panthers' running game, but it might be kind of a bummer for fantasy owners. Jonathan Stewart started to pick things up the past couple weeks, with 50 yards against the Green Bay Packers and 79 yards against the Seattle Seahawks. But Williams coming back means the two will share carries and the red zone touches are still up in the air. Neither hold much fantasy value until the Panthers establish who is the go-to guy.
