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.
