RADIO
Javonte Williams 2021 Outlook: Broncos' RB1 of the Future
4 years agoThe argument against spending high NFL draft capital on running backs is well known at this point. As fantasy analysts, we don't have to like it - we just need to accurately interpret it. Melvin Gordon is 28 years old and was never a particularly special talent. There is a 0% chance he is a member of the Denver Broncos in 2022. The Broncos did not trade up to select Javonte Williams to not use him. Williams will be the Broncos' lead back in Week 1 of 2022. The question for this year is whether it happens sooner, and how much sooner? It would cost the Broncos $6.5 million in dead cap to release Gordon this summer. As we saw last summer with Leonard Fournette, it's at least plausible. If Gordon is cut, Williams' ADP will skyrocket into Najee Harris territory (late second/early third round). If Gordon remains on the team, he will be the primary back Week 1, but Williams is going to get work. Williams' trajectory could look similar to 2020 D'Andre Swift or J.K. Dobbins. He won't start, but he should see his work expand over the course of the season, especially if he outplays the mediocre Gordon. Fantasy draft picks as early as the fourth or fifth round are far less reliable than we like to believe. If Williams' ADP remains in that area, he's worth a shot as an RB2/3 with RB1 upside for those drafters that go WR early.
