This was a fun debate: who wore No. 43 better for the New Orleans Saints out of running back Darren Sproles and free safety Marcus Williams? Both standouts left their mark on Saints history, and they each have a strong case to be called the best to ever wear their shared jersey number.
Our staff writers made their picks, but you can share yours in the poll below:
I believe Darren Sproles is the best No. 43 in Saints history over Marcus Williams. There are a few reasons for this choice, one of which is the levels of versatility Sproles brought to the Saints offensively and on special teams. While Williams was versatile in his own right, in 2011 Sproles was able to average 6.9 yards per carry on 87 attempts, with 710 receiving yards, and 1,383 return yards. This was something relatively un-replaceable for New Orleans at the time, and despite only having 3 seasons on the team, he brought something very few other players could replicate. — Jeremy Trottier
As much as people will focus on the missed tackle when thinking about him, Williams would be my choice for the best No. 43 in team history. He was with the team for five seasons, and rose the ranks as one of the best safeties in franchise history. He has the fourth-most interceptions and seventh-most tackles among safeties to play for New Orleans. — Dylan Sanders
I understand fans who still hold the you-know-what against Williams, but come on: he rebounded from that mistake to play nearly ever snap for the Saints at a high level through the next four years of his career. We can’t let one bad play outweigh hundreds of good ones. At the same time, Sproles was kind of a flash in the pan in 2011. He regressed in yards per touch each year of his Saints career and didn’t return to those heights in 2012 or 2013. He was an extremely exciting player but Williams has longevity on his side. — John Sigler
The best Saints player to where No. 43 is Marcus Williams. Darren Sproles is an attractive option largely because of the eye-popping plays, while Williams played a more behind-the-scenes role. The amount of protection over the top Williams provided, especially in his last few years on the roster, was extremely valuable to the Saints pass defense. It just isn’t always seen from the broadcast angles of the game. Over time, we saw Williams turn into one of the best safeties in the league. I give the edge to Williams because his role as an eraser down the field provides more value to me than Sproles’ role within the offense. — Darrion Gray
This is a close one in which you could make two legitimate cases for different types of reasons. While it’s true teams did eventually figure out how to contain Sproles, he still goes down as not only one of the best Saints running backs, but one of the best rushers in NFL history. He set an all-purpose yards record in 2011 and was one of the best punt returners in football as a special teams ace before he tore his ACL. He totaled 95 returns for 1,186 yards and four touchdowns before the injury, leading the NFL in punt return yards and touchdowns and 2014 and 2015. A healthy Sproles accomplished a lot with a Hall of Fame case that could have been even stronger than it already is if he had not gotten banged up. — Crissy Froyd
