2021, Rd. 2-35 | |
Wallace, NC | |
24 | |
04/25/2000 | |
4YR | |
North Carolina Tar Heels |
Williams carried the ball seven times for 29 yards and caught both his targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 31-7 wild-card round loss to the Bills.
Analysis
He led all Broncos running backs in touches plus rushing and scrimmage yards, but QB Bo Nix paced the whole team in rushing yards with 43. Williams will reach free agency this offseason, but his market could be flimsy after he managed just 513 rushing yards on 139 carries for a 3.7 YPC with four TDs over 17 regular-season appearances. The 2021 second-round pick did have a career-best year as a pass catcher though, hauling in 52 of 70 targets for 346 yards, and he could find a role as a third-down option in 2025. The explosiveness he showed in college and over his first 21 NFL games before suffering a serious knee injury seems unlikely to return, however.
Williams rushed five times for 28 yards and caught three of four targets for 50 yards in Sunday's 38-0 win over the Chiefs.
Analysis
Williams played a minimal role in the ground attack Sunday, with fellow running backs Jaleel McLaughlin (16 carries) and Audric Estime (12 carries) getting much more work as ball carriers. The 24-year-old should continue to see a light role as part of a three-headed backfield committee when the Broncos visit Buffalo on Sunday in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Williams failed to record a single carry and caught both of his targets for zero yards in Saturday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Bengals.
Analysis
Williams was not involved in the Broncos' rushing attack Saturday, marking the first time this season that he did not have at least one rushing attempt in a contest. Despite leading Denver's running back group with 22 offensive snaps, the veteran was unable to get involved. Instead, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime handled 10 and nine carries, respectively. Williams is continuing to prove that he is not a reliable fantasy option, which should be how fantasy managers view him heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Chiefs.
Williams rushed four times for 24 yards and brought in seven of 11 targets for 29 yards in the Broncos' 34-27 loss to the Chargers on Thursday night.
Analysis
In a game in which fellow RB Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) was sidelined, Williams saw rookie Audric Estime outpace him carries by five overall, but the former was the surprise leader in targets for the Broncos on the night. The surprising amount of attention Williams commanded from Bo Nix as a receiver led to the 2021 second-rounder tying the second-highest single-game catch total of his career. However, Williams has now logged single-digit carries in six consecutive games, leaving his value primarily to PPR formats despite a favorable Week 17 road matchup against the Bengals on Saturday, Dec. 28.
Williams rushed six times for 15 yards and caught two of three targets for eight yards in Sunday's 31-13 win over the Colts.
Analysis
Williams continued his late-season slump, which has seen him exceed 25 total yards only once in his last five games. Jaleel McLaughlin led Denver's running backs with seven carries for 21 yards prior to exiting due to a quadriceps injury, and quarterback Bo Nix finished as the team's leading rusher with eight rushing attempts for 23 yards. There could be more opportunities available for Williams if McLaughlin's unable to suit up against the Chargers on Thursday, though rookie Audric Estime could also see more touches.
Williams rushed four times for one yard and a touchdown while catching one of two targets for three yards in Monday's 41-32 win over the Browns
Analysis
Javonte played 30 of the Broncos' 66 offensive snaps Monday, ahead of both Jaleel McLaughlin (24) and Audric Estime (8). Despite seeing the most playing time of the group, Williams saw fewer touches than McLaughlin, who finished the game with 14 carries for 84 yards. A complete disaster was avoided when the 24-year-old Williams was able to score his fourth touchdown of the season on a two-yard run in the first quarter. It appears head coach Sean Payton is committed to using a hot-hand approach with Denver's backfield, so fantasy managers may want to avoid the entire situation down the stretch. The Broncos will host the Colts on Dec. 15 following their Week 14 bye.
Williams rushed eight times for a loss of two yards while catching two of four targets for six receiving yards in Sunday's 29-19 win over Las Vegas.
Analysis
Williams squandered opportunity after opportunity while the Broncos played with a lead for most of the second half. The 2021 second-round pick only finished with a positive fantasy score by gaining six yards as a receiver. Jaleel McLaughlin wound up leading the Broncos with 44 rushing yards off of one less carry than the starter. Williams continues to underwhelm as Denver's lead rusher, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him lose carries to more productive backups as the season progresses following yet another dud. For now, Williams figures to remain an option for those in deeper leagues for next Monday's tilt against the Browns.
Williams rushed nine times for 59 yards and a touchdown while catching four of five targets for 28 yards in Sunday's 38-6 win over the Falcons.
Analysis
After getting out-touched 14-3 by Audric Estime in the Week 10 loss to Kansas City, Williams reclaimed the lead role in Denver's backfield, though Estime still stayed involved with 25 scrimmage yards on nine touches. Williams got off to a slow start this season, but he has found his groove in recent weeks, with 80-plus scrimmage yards in five of the last eight games. He'll have a nice opportunity to keep rolling in Week 12 against the 2-8 Raiders.
Williams rushed once for one yard and caught both of his targets for six yards in Sunday's 16-14 loss to the Chiefs.
Analysis
Williams had an extremely quiet Sunday against Kansas City, as the fourth-year running back took a clear back seat to rookie Audric Estime as a rusher. While Williams carried the ball only one time and played just 17 of the Broncos' 58 offensive snaps, Estime was relied upon heavily with 14 carries in the contest across his 26 snaps. It appears head coach Sean Payton's recent remarks about Estime taking on a bigger workload were more than just coach speak, so if he continues to pace the backfield in opportunities, Williams' days as a consistent fantasy contributor are likely in jeopardy. The 24-year-old will have his next opportunity to bounce back when the Broncos host the Falcons in Week 11.
Season | Team | Rushes | EPA/Rush | Total EPA | Rush Yards | Rush TD | Yards Per Carry | Yards After Contact | Avg. Box Defenders | Success % | TFL % | Explosive % | First Down % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | ![]() | 139 | -23.9 | -16.77 | 513 | 4 | 3.69 | 334 | 6.46 | 35.3% | 12.2% | 7.2% | 21.6% |
2023 | ![]() | 217 | -37.9 | -37.06 | 774 | 3 | 3.57 | 538 | 7.16 | 34.6% | 11.5% | 8.3% | 18.9% |
2022 | ![]() | 47 | -6.31 | -6.52 | 204 | 0 | 4.34 | 0 | 7.15 | 36.2% | 10.6% | 10.6% | 19.1% |
2021 | ![]() | 203 | -0.09 | -17.26 | 903 | 4 | 4.45 | 0 | -- | 38.9% | 9.9% | 7.9% | 25.6% |