DeAngelo Williams could practice Wednesday
Carolina Panthers No. 1 running back DeAngelo Williams has been on the shelf since rushing for 34 yards on 11 carries in a Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and he’s appeared in just two games this season due to two separate injuries. Williams is dealing with an ankle injury that actually needed a cast, and he isn’t even expected to make his return for this week’s big game against the Seattle Seahawks. If D-Will is out, then that will make it four weeks without playing, and he could end up being out for a whole month.
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That said, Williams does have a fair shake at suiting up this week, as ESPN NFL Nation’s David Newton reports that Panthers head coach Ron Rivera stated that Williams could practice on Wednesday. He’s making progress on his right ankle, but Newton adds that he still has some tape on it. High-ankle sprains are never good, but this one has been particularly troublesome for the Panthers veteran back. If he does play against Seattle, then he’ll probably be incredibly ineffective, as the line in front of him is incredibly banged up and heading into a matchup against an elite defense.
Jonathan Stewart was able to return last week to face the Green Bay Packers, but he couldn’t crack four yards per carry and is the Panthers second-best running back on this stage. Getting both players on the field will be helpful, but the offense pretty much runs through Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, and impressive rookie Kelvin Benjamin.