Rams' Kyren Williams: Not expected to play Saturday

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The Rams don't plan to play Williams or other key players in Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.

Coach Sean McVay suggested his plan will be similar to the preseason opener against Dallas, in which the Rams not only held out starters but also a lot of key backups, including rookie RB Blake Corum. McVay even said the list of rested players could be longer this time, so there's no reason to expect an appearance from starters like Williams and Cooper Kupp who are ticketed for huge roles come Week 1. There is some thought that Corum's presence will leave Williams with lighter workloads than he handled last year, but the third-year pro can afford to lose some work and still maintain considerable fantasy value, after averaging 19.0 carries and 4.0 targets in 12 appearances last year. Williams missed 12 regular-season games over his first two campaigns, and there is some concern that missed time in 2024 would allow Corum to thrive in a lead role and complicate the Rams' backfield thereafter.