Saints down another RB with Williams injured

NEW ORLEANS, La. — New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury, coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday.

Williams left in the first half of the Saints’ win against the Carolina Panthers on Monday night after playing just 18 snaps. With Alvin Kamara serving a suspension and Kendre Miller inactive, that left the Saints with just practice squad running back Tony Jones Jr. and quarterback Taysom Hill to handle the rest of the carries in the second half.

The Saints are expected to get Miller back this week after he was out with a hamstring injury. The rookie third-round pick has yet to make his NFL debut but likely will be good to go for this week’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Allen said Miller was inactive this week because he had not gotten enough practice reps due to the injury.

“I think probably physically he could’ve played,” Allen said. “That was more of a decision on my part, a rookie player that wasn’t able to fully participate in practice during the week, I just didn’t feel like that was the right thing for our team to put him in the game. … I expect him to be pretty much full go this week and we’ll see where he’s at for game day, but I would expect there’s a good chance we’ll see him this week.”

The Saints will be without Kamara for one more game as he serves a three-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Allen said he doesn’t plan to sign another running back this week even with Williams being injured.

Hill carried the ball nine times against the Panthers for 75 yards, and Jones had 12 carries for 34 yards and two touchdowns.