Tests revealed Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (knee) tore his anterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament and posterolateral corner in Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Needless to say, his 2022 season is over.
Catastrophic indeed. Two of four torn knee ligaments is a devastating blow to any player’s future, especially at running back. The most relevant recent comparison with similar ligament tears is New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore. He returned to get drafted and star as a Pro Bowler in the NFL, and though one can argue the physicality of playing running back differs from that of cornerback, this isn’t entirely a fantasy death sentence for the second-year rusher. Both positions require tremendous lateral movements skills, and it’s entirely possible Williams never will be the same back again.
Williams’ start to 2023 is in jeopardy at this point, but the immediate focus is on where to turn for help in fantasy football for the remainder of 2022. The obvious place to turn is Williams’ backfield mates, Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone. The former should handle most of the work, including the early-down chores, whereas the latter is a better target in PPR. Boone isn’t likely to have as much value, though, and his utilization figures should pale in comparison to Gordon.
The former Charger is owned in most leagues, yet it remains worthy of your time to take a quick peek. Boone, however, should be universally available and becomes a depth addition of moderate priority.
Given the nature of how important the position is in fantasy, finding valid replacements on the wire will be next to impossible in most competitive formats. With bye weeks a Sunday away, there will be plenty of games in which managers will be forced to plug their nose and field just about any back with a pulse. Be sure to check out our latest Free-Agent Forecast release that covers waiver targets.
Update: Running back Latavius Murray was signed away from the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad. The 32-year-old looked spry in Week 4 action but doesn’t offer much that can’t be found in Gordon, aside from improved ball security. Murray is not a quality receiver, and he’s not a breakaway threat. Add him as a fringe backup, especially if you had handcuffed Gordon to Williams.
