Jonathan Williams clawing his way up the Saints RB depth chart

With Mark Ingram suspended for the first four games of the season for the New Orleans Saints, the Saints are still looking to tab the primary back-up to 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara.

The current front-runner looks to be Jonathan Williams. Per Bleacher Report:

For the first four weeks, Alvin Kamara will have a new running mate in the backfield as Mark Ingram serves his four-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.

According to Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate, third-year ball-carrier Jonathan Williams made a push to open the season in tandem with Kamara: “As far as that battle [at running back] goes, it looks like Jonathan Williams is making a run up the depth chart.”

Williams made the most of limited snaps in the Saints’ preseason opener Aug. 9 against the Jaguars, with four carries for 26 yards and a touchdown at EverBank Field. As the regular season draws closer, we’ll likely see more of him in the backfield. Terrance West also remains a viable option to see an uptick in carries during Ingram’s absence. He logged five carries for 10 yards in the same contest.

The Saints saw something in Williams last year when they claimed him off the Broncos practice squad in November. He’ll likely see some action in the regular season, but the next few weeks will determine his workload.

In addition to the aforementioned West and Williams, there is also free agent acquisition Shane Vereen, 2018 NFL Draft pick Boston Scott, and the returning Trey Edmunds vying for a roster spot at the conclusion of the preseason.

It is likely the Saints will use the third preseason game to be the final test for that roster spot, so it will be interesting to see who actually makes the cut.