Broncos' Javonte Williams: Doing limited work at OTAs
Rotowire
Williams (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's OTA practice, Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reports.
There's no contact at this early stage of the offseason, and Williams presumably will be sitting out once there is. Still, this shows he's making progress in his rehab from ACL and LCL tears suffered Week 4 last year. GM George Paton hinted in March (and again in April) that he wasn't sure about Williams' Week 1 availability, and while that may still be the case, new coach Sean Payton says the Broncos are encouraged by the RB's early progress. Offseason addition Samaje Perine is the obvious candidate to get more work if Williams isn't ready come September, but it looks like open competition otherwise with the Broncos rostering a slew of RBs that have been released by other teams, including Tony Jones, Jacques Patrick and Tyler Badie.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Making steady progress in recovery
Rotowire
Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes there's a "good chance" Williams will avoid the PUP list to begin training camp, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports.
This is the first bit of reported optimism regarding Williams' status to start the 2023 season given general manager George Paton had previously made couched remarks regarding the star running back's availability when August rolls around. The third-year player saw his 2022 season cut short in Week 4 after tearing his ACL and LCL along with severe bruising in other areas of his knee. Rehab from the season-ending surgery was thought to be a long road, but evidently the 23-year-old has made significant progress over the last couple of months. Samaje Perine would likely have first crack at the starting role if Williams was unable to play Week 1.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Uncertain for Week 1
Rotowire
Broncos GM George Paton reiterated Thursday that he isn't sure when Williams (knee) will be ready for games but does know it will be at some point in 2023, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Paton made similar comments in late March, responding, " we won't know that for a while," when a reporter asked him if Williams would be ready for Week 1. The 2021 second-round pick is rehabbing multiple ligament tears in his right knee, including an ACL, and the Broncos don't have much experience in their backfield beyond Williams and new addition Samaje Perine. Paton thus acknowledged the possibility of the team drafting a running back, though Denver's lack of capital (no picks in the first or second round) means anyone they add might not represent serious competition for Williams/Perine.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Making strides in rehab
Rotowire
Speaking Monday, Broncos GM George Paton said Williams (knee) is making "great strides" in his rehab, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
When asked if Williams will be ready for the start of the 2023 season, Paton said, "We won't know that for a while." The reports and quotes surrounding Williams' rehab from multiple torn ligaments in his right knee, including his ACL, have made it clear that Williams' Week 1 status is definitely up in the air. The Broncos signed veteran Samaje Perine to a two-year, $7.5 million deal in the opening week of free agency, and there are expectations the team will add more to its backfield in the draft. Williams' recovery will continue to be monitored closely this summer.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Could be healthy for start of 2023
Rotowire
Broncos general manager George Paton said Tuesday that Williams (knee) is "on track" for the start of 2023, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.
Despite reports saying Williams could miss a significant portion of the upcoming season, the Broncos appear confident they'll have their dynamic running back in the fold to start 2023, although Paton indicated a plan would be in place if he's not ready for Week 1. Williams tore his ACL and LCL in Week 4 last season and underwent season-ending surgery. He has made some progress in his rehab and is currently able to jog, per Palmer, but he still has plenty of hurdles to clear before he's deemed ready for game action. With Latavius Murray, Mike Boone and Marlon Mack all scheduled for free agency, Denver will need to add depth to its backfield regardless of Williams' progress.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Could miss games in 2023
Rotowire
Williams (knee) could be sidelined "well into the 2023 season," according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.
Williams tore his ACL and LCL in Week 4 of last season and obviously missed the remainder of the year. His injury recovery will be a hot topic leading into training camp and fantasy drafts this summer. With Williams still rehabbing and all three of Latavius Murray, Mike Boone, and Marlon Mack scheduled for free agency, running back is an area of need for the Broncos.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Heads to IR
Rotowire
The Broncos placed Williams (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Aric DiLalla of the team's official site reports.
The transaction officially removes Williams from the Broncos' 53-man roster after he suffered a season-ending ACL and LCL tear in his right knee in Sunday's loss to the Raiders. Williams is set to undergo surgery in the coming days and will turn his focus toward gaining clearance for the start of training camp next summer. In a corresponding move, the Broncos signed veteran Latavius Murray off the Saints' practice squad Tuesday to add another option to a backfield that also includes Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Could face lengthy absence
Rotowire
Williams is believed to have suffered a serious right knee injury in Sunday's 32-23 loss to Vegas, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
An upcoming MRI on Williams' knee Monday should reveal more details regarding his injury, but the Broncos fear that he could be facing a lengthy absence. Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone would both be in line for additional touches in Williams' absence, with Gordon likely to take on the lead role in Denver's backfield. Williams needed crutches to leave the locker room after Sunday's loss.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Hurts knee Sunday
Rotowire
Williams exited Sunday's game at Las Vegas with a knee injury.
On the first play of the second half, Williams remained on the turf for a spell, and when he attempted to get off the field, he needed assistance from the training staff to get to the sideline. After an evaluation, he was carted to the locker room and quickly ruled out. The severity of Williams' injury is unclear, but Melvin Gordon will slide in as the Broncos' top running back for the rest of Week 4, with Mike Boone acting as the No. 2.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Paces backfield with 58 yards
Rotowire
Williams rushed 15 times for 58 yards and caught three of five targets for two yards in Sunday's 11-10 win over the 49ers.
Williams put together another solid stat line alongside co-starter Melvin Gordon (18-17 total touch distribution), but it was the latter who was rewarded with a one-yard TD run to close out the win for Denver. The 22-year-old had an ugly drop that hit him in the hands, which further proves that his 11-catch performance back in Week 1 was an anomaly. Williams remains a high-floor, low-ceiling option heading into next Sunday's tilt against the Raiders.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Leads Denver in rushing
Rotowire
Williams rushed 15 times for 75 yards and caught one of four targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Texans.
On a day when the Denver offense struggled to get much of anything going, Williams didn't do much in the box score to win the week for fantasy managers. However, he did operate as Denver's lead back once again, seeing five more attempts on the ground and three more targets through the air than fellow running back Melvin Gordon. Though Gordon is still involved, it's clear the Broncos are comfortable with giving Williams the opportunity to establish himself as the leader of the Denver backfield. As the offense continues to get things figured out, Williams is likely to continue to see a solid share of touches each week. The 22-year-old will look to make the most of his opportunities in Week 3 when the Broncos host the 49ers.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Costly fumble mars 11-catch night
Rotowire
Williams rushed seven times for 43 yards, caught 11 of 12 targets for 65 yards and lost a fumble in Monday's 17-16 loss to the Seahawks.
Williams had a golden opportunity to establish himself as Denver's preferred option at the goal line after Melvin Gordon fumbled on the one-yard line in the third quarter, but Williams returned the favor on the very next possession by fumbling on the four-yard line. Denver trailed throughout the game, which led to heavy involvement for Williams as a pass catcher, showing that he has a substantial touch floor despite the presence of Gordon. In Week 2, the Broncos will host a Houston team that allowed 161 rushing yards and a touchdown to star Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, offering both backs a chance to rebound after their costly turnovers.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Set to face Seattle in opener
Rotowire
As Monday night's season opener against the Seahawks approaches, coach Nathaniel Hackett noted that the Broncos are in a "really good place" with a Week 1 backfield comprised of Williams, Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.
Williams and Gordon, who both logged 203 carries last year, are in line to continue handling the bulk of Denver's rushing opportunities in 2022, with Boone in reserve. Looking ahead, it's a timeshare that figures to tilt in Williams' favor, a notion reflected by his lofty average draft position (relative to Gordon) ahead of Week 1, but Hackett did tell Stevens on Friday that he's a believer in rolling with "the hot hand." Either way, we expect the Broncos to find ways to get Williams his share of touches out of the gate this season, a context that should yield fantasy utility despite the continued presence of Gordon.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Unlikely to play this week
Rotowire
Coach Nathaniel Hackett suggested Williams and other key players will be held out for a third straight week when the Broncos face the Vikings on Saturday in their preseason finale, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.
Nearly everyone, including backfield mate Melvin Gordon, expects Williams to take on a larger share of the workload in his second season. There's also the likelihood of increased offensive output overall for the Broncos with QB Russell Wilson taking over, but Williams still has Gordon lingering as a thorn in the side of fantasy managers, with the veteran likely to get a decent number of touches each week. The talented duo gets a favorable matchup to start the regular season, heading to Seattle as favorites against Wilson's former team Week 1.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Likely held out this weekend
Rotowire
Williams and other key players aren't expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Bills, The Denver Post reports.
Buffalo, on the other hand, is expected to play most starters. It'll mostly be a guessing game trying to figure out the workload split between Williams and Melvin Gordon until the regular season actually starts, though Gordon did recently mention that it seems like the Broncos want Williams to be the main guy, i.e., what most had assumed anyway after his strong finish to last year. Whether that means 55 percent of the workload or closer to 70-75 percent remains to be seen.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Listed as starter
Rotowire
Williams is listed as the starting running back on the Broncos' first unofficial depth chart ahead of Saturday's preseason opener against the Cowboys, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.
Williams' placement atop the depth chart doesn't come as a major surprise, as recent reports have indicated that the second-year back has received the slight edge in snaps with the first-team offense in training camp over veteran Melvin Gordon. With Gordon playing on an expiring deal and set to turn 30 next offseason, Denver will likely prepare for the 22-year-old Williams to operate as Option 1A out of the backfield after the two had worked in a near-even timeshare in 2021. With that said, the coaching staff is committed to using multiple backs this season, which should cap the overall upside of both backs when they are healthy. Offensive coordinator Justin Outten recently said the running backs will be on a pitch count this season, further complicating matters for fantasy purposes.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Facing uncertain split with Gordon
Rotowire
Cecil Lammey of 104.3 The Fan reports that Williams has taken the first snap at six of seven practices and could get around 70 percent of the RB workload this year, while Benjamin Albright of KOA Colorado suggests the split between William and Melvin Gordon at camp has been around 55/45.
There's widespread agreement about Williams being the No. 1 back, after Gordon had the slightly larger portion of a timeshare most of last year. The extent of Gordon's 2022 involvement is where disagreement begins, and while there's a good chance we don't really know until after Week 1, it nonetheless figures to remain a popular topic of discussion. Williams had late-first-round fantasy hype this offseason when Gordon was a free agent, with the second-year pro later dropping to a third-round ADP after the Broncos re-signed the 29-year-old in late April. Given Williams' talent along with Denver's offseason upgrade at QB, a 70/30 split should be enough to match or beat his draft price. A 55/45 split, on the other hand, would make it tricky, requiring superhuman efficiency and/or a glut of TDs.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Set to share work with Gordon again
Rotowire
Williams will be paired with Melvin Gordon in the backfield once again 2022 after the Broncos re-signed Gordon to a one-year deal Tuesday, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.
Prior to Denver bringing back Gordon, Williams seemed positioned to see a big boost in his workload this coming season, but a timeshare arrangement could now be back in play. Both players logged 203 carries in 2021, and while there should be enough touches for the two to remain fantasy relevant, Williams' ceiling is nonetheless hampered by the continued presence of the capable Gordon. Of the two, Williams profiles as the upside play, but as long as his veteran counterpart is available, the 2021 second-round pick's volume figures to be capped.
... See More... See Less
Broncos' Javonte Williams: Cleared for Week 18
Rotowire
Williams (knee) does not carry an injury designation for Saturday's game against Kansas City after practicing fully Thursday, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.
The same applies to Melvin Gordon (thumb/hip), which sets the stage for the duo to continue to share backfield duties in Denver's season finale. It's a timeshare that caps Williams' fantasy ceiling, but more often than not he's logged enough touches to help fantasy managers this season, and he'll square off this weekend against a Chiefs run defense that is allowing an average of 113.0 rushing yards per game to date.
Williams carried the ball 14 times for 30 yards and caught his only target for two yards in Sunday's 34-13 loss to the Chargers.
The rookie had reached 80 scrimmage yards or scored a touchdown, or both, in four straight games coming into Sunday, but the knee issue that limited Williams' practice participation during the week may have been a factor in his disappointing showing against one of the league's softer run defenses. He still has an outside chance at 1,000 rushing yards on the season, but he'll need 143 yards in a Week 18 clash with Kansas City to get there.
