Rookie running back Kyren Williams broke his foot in OTAs and began training camp on the PUP list. He was activated recently and began practicing, but he was absent from the Rams’ first preseason game against the Chargers.

The Rams are being safe with him right now as he works his way back from the injury, and Sean McVay isn’t sure if Williams will play at all in the preseason. Ideally, he’d like to see Williams on the field, but it’s not necessary because it sounds like he’s already earned a roster spot.

“I’m not sure about that,” McVay said of Williams playing in the preseason. “He’s done a really good job. He’s basically been a full participant with the way we’ve practiced as of late. I think that’s gonna be predicated on some of the health of the other situations, but I have not determined that yet. You’d like to see him in an ideal situation, but kind of similar to Tutu, some of those things are flexible situations. This is a guy I loved coming out of Notre Dame. We loved as a coaching staff. I know Les and his group felt the same way. Hated that he got the foot injury that set him back but this guy is locked in. … I think this guy’s gonna be a really good player for us. Whether he plays in the next two preseason games, not 100% sure. But he’s gonna have really heavy workloads at practice and I expect him to be a guy that’s gonna help us this year.”

Raymond Calais, A.J. Rose, Jake Funk and Trey Ragas all got between four and eight carries in the preseason opener, and they’re all battling for a roster spot behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr. Williams, being a fifth-round rookie, likely has an edge on those players as the No. 3 running back, but if the Rams keep four at the position, Calais, Rose, Funk or Ragas will be on the final roster, too.