Should I Be Concerned About Javonte Williams for Week 4? Fantasy Football Outlook

Should fantasy managers be concerned about Javonte Williams? Is Melvin Gordon too involved in the Denver offense? Tommy Adamopoulos looks at Williams' outlook.

Javonte Williams was a popular breakout candidate during draft season, as many had him labeled as the 2022 version of Jonathan Taylor.

There is no question he is a super-talented player, but through the first three weeks of the season, he hasn't found the end zone in a struggling Denver offense.

So what is his fantasy football outlook going forward, and should we be concerned about his usage compared to Melvin Gordon?

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Should Fantasy Managers Be Concerned About Javonte Williams?

It is still very early in the season, so fantasy managers shouldn't be overreacting just yet. The Denver offense has given Williams 17.3 opportunities per game so far, so he is getting solid usage despite splitting the backfield with Melvin Gordon.

A running back that gets this many opportunities and is used as a pass-catcher is a recipe for solid fantasy production. As of now, there are two things holding back Williams in terms of fantasy numbers.

The first factor is his touchdown production.

We saw him get a goal-line carry in Week 1 and fumble the ball, and get vultured by Gordon in Week 3, so some better touchdown luck could be on the horizon as Williams hasn't found the end zone yet this season.

Javonte Williams managers seeing Melvin Gordon get the TD
pic.twitter.com/cWORlmAgfM

— Luke Sawhook 🪚🪝 (@lukesawhook) September 26, 2022

This leads me to the main concern about the future outlook of the stud sophomore back.

Is Melvin Gordon Too Involved In The Denver Offense?

Gordon has seen 14, 11, and 17 touches through the first three games of the season. On average, Williams is out-touching the veteran by just three on a weekly basis (17-14).

Unfortunately, it looks like this won’t be changing any time soon. Yes, fantasy managers have been beating the drum to free Williams, but Gordon is still a capable running back.

Broncos RB snap count tonight:

Javonte Williams — 44%
Melvin Gordon — 37%
Mike Boone — 19%

Pain

— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) September 26, 2022

Not to mention, we have seen in the past how head coach Nathaniel Hackett used Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon in Green Bay, so Gordon’s heavy involvement in the offense shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

Unless Gordon misses some time, it looks like he is going to cap the upside of Williams. Whether it is catching passes on third down, or vulturing touchdowns at the goal-line, Gordon will continue to play a significant role in the Denver offense.

Having said that, Williams can still be valued as a rock-solid RB2.

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