Denver Broncos RB Javonte Williams only played in four games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He should be ready to hit the ground running in 2023, and we’ll break down his fantasy football profile below.
2023 Fantasy Football: Javonte Williams Profile
Recap of 2022 season
The stats from his four games in 2022 were a mixed bag. On one hand, Williams averaged more than 17 touches per game in three full contests prior to the injury. However, that translated to less than 10 PPR fantasy points in two of those three outings.
Updated Broncos outlook
The Broncos should improve in their first year with head coach Sean Payton. After all, they can’t get much worse. The AFC West is pretty difficult, but Denver still has their win total at over/under 8.5 victories on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Broncos really didn’t do much in terms of moves this offseason on offense. Samaje Perine was signed to serve as the backup to Williams and a change-of-pace back. The receiving core of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and Greg Dulcich are all back. Denver also added WR Marvin Mims Jr. out of Oklahoma in the 2023 draft in the second round.
Best-case scenario
Williams takes off out of the gates, becomes an every-down back, and never looks back. He gets over his scoring woes and becomes a complete back with significant rushing upside on a weekly basis. It’s always tough coming back from major injury. If Williams can have a good camp and shake off any doubts, he has tons of potential as a RB1 in fantasy.
Worst-case scenario
The third-year player looks rusty after the layoff and becomes less dependable. Either that or the Denver coaching staff intentionally cuts his usage because of last year’s injury. Williams has only scored five rushing touchdowns in 22 career games, so there’s a chance he’s still not the team’s top red-zone choice. Payton could also solve the Broncos’ passing woes and the offense leans on Russell Wilson and the receivers most of the season.
Prediction
The truth definitely lies in the middle of those two scenarios. It’s hard to doubt Williams’ upside due to the opportunity in front of him. As long as he stays healthy, he should be firmly cemented as an RB1 ahead of Perine and Tony Jones Jr. For that reason, Williams is a true breakout candidate put on your fantasy watchlist.