After spending his first four NFL seasons in Denver, Javonte Williams signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. A change of scenery will be good for Williams, as he struggled with Denver in 2024. He now enters a backfield in Dallas that has the feel of a running back by committee mentality. Miles Sanders, Jaydon Blue and Deuce Vaughn are some of the other backs in the mix to get touches.
I would give Williams the edge in terms of being the starter in Week 1, but no matter who starts, I think the touches will be spread around. That’s not ideal from a fantasy perspective, but if Williams can emerge from the pack, he should be able to get the lion’s share of the volume.
Williams struggled to perform in fantasy football last season, finishing as RB30 on DraftKings with 157.9 FPTS despite playing in all 17 games. His 9.3 FPTS per game was abysmal, ranking 40th among running backs. Williams hasn’t broken four yards per carry since 2022, so a fresh offense and new team should do him a world of good. He has a fresh start in a new system, and hopefully, that brings out the best in him.
Williams’ best season was his rookie year in 2021. He played in 17 games, rushing for 903 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Since his ACL tear in 2022, he hasn’t looked like the same player. He averaged 3.6 yards per carry in 2023 and 3.7 last season. It will be three years since the injury in Dallas, and hopefully, Williams can get back to the player he was at the start of his career.
His stock is largely going to depend on what happens this summer and who earns the starting spot for Week 1. If Williams can succeed in doing that, I think his fantasy outlook is heading in a positive direction compared to a season ago.
