Will Javonte Williams show out for the Denver Broncos and his fantasy owners this coming 2022 NFL season?
Williams amassed 1,219 total yards, seven touchdowns, and 43 receptions in his rookie season with the Broncos. In PPR leagues, he was 17th among running back scoring (206.30 points). His best performances came in Weeks 12 to 14. In that time span, he had 372 combined yards with four touchdowns and 10 catches. The flip side with the 2021 second round pick was that he failed to reach 10.00 fantasy points in eight of his games (5.50, 8.40, 8.90, 9.80, 6.80, 6.90, 4.20, and 8.40).
In essence, Williams was a boom or bust player last season.
Williams uses his strength and aggression to complete carries while effectively moving the chains on most occasions. He tends to wait for a hole in the D-line to open, and once he sees it, he rushes through with ease. Williams' acceleration forces him into the defensive secondary as soon as he detects daylight.
Pundits have noted that although Williams won't score many long touchdowns, his short-run speed is dangerous. Williams has a lot of grit, and his approach ought to wear out opponents. Despite having a restricted receiving role, he projects well in the passing game and possesses high enough football IQ to understand what plays are run on every down.
Williams exudes a winning vibe, and experts anticipate him to continuecarrying out the grunt work in the Broncos' rushing attack. On his runs, he'll bounce off tackles, run through walls, and punch through holes. That approach will almost always result in successful performances.
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Javonte Williams 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook
Williams recently saw his fantasy average draft position fall into the second round after the Broncos re-signed Melvin Gordon. Denver will keep switching in a second back, but Williams' position could expand in 2022. His next objective ought to be 1,500 total yards, double-digit scores, and 50+ receptions, which equates to 260 fantasy points. If prospective owners see Williams drop in drafts, they should pick him no questions asked.
On the other hand, Williams could also turn out to be a major disappointment, but it won't be his fault. The reality is having Melvin Gordon back in Denver already makes it harder for Williams to have any exponential growth in production this coming season.
Williams' chances of seeing a real breakout are also made worse with the addition of Russell Wilson. With Wilson in Seattle, Chris Carson finished as an RB1 only once, and that year, he had no competition for carries. Williams will fall behind in 2022 due to Wilson's propensity to throw more often and his ongoing battle with Gordon for carries and rushes.
Despite the fact that Williams is anticipated to start as running back for Denver this season, Melvin Gordon's projected comeback should limit his fantasy potential. Having said that, Williams is worth picking in Round 3 in the majority of leagues after Gordon returns. Williams' potential was evident when he was a rookie, particularly in the one game Gordon missed in Week 13 against Kansas City. In that game, Williams had nine targets and six receptions for 76 yards. He also had 23 carries for 102 yards and 29 PPR points in that contest.
Do not forget that Williams also had eight games with at least 15 total touches throughout his rookie campaign. Over those eight games, he averaged 14.0 PPR points per game, including three with at least 19 PPR points.
When considering Williams, however, owners should once again remain cognizant of how he and Gordon will divide the workload over in Denver. Again, that reduces the upside for the second-year running back.