Healthy Jamaal Williams, Alvin Kamara key for Saints in NFC South

This marks the first time Williams and Kamara are active for the same game in 2023. That could be key to the Saints taking control of a wide-open NFC South. 

While Williams put up pedestrian numbers in the first two games of the season with Kamara serving a suspension, he showed with the Lions last year he's an incredible compliment to a big-play back like Kamara. 

Williams is reliable in short-yardage situations, as evidenced by 13 of his 17 rushing touchdowns coming from inside two yards with the Lions last season. Kamara, meanwhile, excels by trying to go around the defensive line either with outside runs or catching screen passes.

Since Kamara's return, the Saints have asked him to play the role of volume rusher and pass-catching back. He's touched the ball 75 times in his three games this season, and is in his seventh year while coming off of his first non-Pro Bowl season. After years of high usage, Kamara should benefit greatly from being able to cede some of the tough carries to Williams.

The Saints have made running the ball an important part of their offense with the seventh-most attempts in the NFL so far, but are in the bottom-10 in yards-per-carry. 

Through six weeks of the season, every team in the NFC South except the Carolina Panthers has three wins and boasts a single divisional victory as well, so it seems the winner will be decided by fine margins.

If the Saints are able to trot both Kamara and Williams out consistently this year, that could be the difference that separates them from a tightly-contested pack.