Broncos' Javonte Williams Listed Surprisingly High on NFL.com's RB Rankings

The Denver Broncos' 2024 running back trio received some encouraging rankings from NFL.com, especially Javonte Williams.

Erick Trickel | Feb 18, 2025

Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) runs the ball in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos' running game was often ineffective and inconsistent in 2024. While the Broncos had the 13th-most rushing attempts, they posted the 12th-lowest average per rush.

The blame for Denver's lack of rushing production can be spread around, but a lot falls on the running backs. That's why the Broncos' pursuit of running back upgrades is an open secret around the NFL.

NFL.com's Maurice Jones-Drew — a former running back himself — ranked the NFL's top 74 running backs from the 2024 season, a list that included Denver's Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime. While none of them were highly ranked, the Broncos trio did better than expected, with Williams at No. 33, McLaughlin at No. 41, and Estime at No. 47.

Jones-Drew revelaed showed that the way the Broncos used Williams as a receiver helped his ranking.

“Williams' 513 rush yards counted as the second-fewest by a team's leading rusher this season, which makes sense, given that the Broncos resorted to using a committee approach in the second half after watching their RB1 struggle when receiving the bulk of the load early in the year," Jones-Drew wrote. "That said, Sean Payton used the fourth-year running back more in the pass game in 2024, with Williams posting career highs in targets, receptions and receiving yards. The soon-to-be free agent might just need a change of scenery.”

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Not only did Williams have the second-lowest rushing total for a team-leading rusher, but he also had the fifth-lowest yards after contact and sixth-fewest runs of 10-plus yards, per NFL Pro stats. His low yards after contact metric was disappointing because his ability to break tackles and pick up yards made him such an enticing runner during his rookie year. But that Year 2 knee injury changed how he ran.

As a receiver, Williams had the fifth-most targets and sixth-most catches for a running back. While he lost snaps and touches as a runner, he still made an impact as a receiver, which is better than most running backs behind him.

McLaughlin took a while to show up, but he was the best running back to close the season. Pro Football Network recently projected him to have an extraordinary season, and Jones-Drew touches on how that may be possible.

“With Javonte Williams struggling to produce early in the season, McLaughlin earned a bigger role in the Broncos offense in Year 2," Jones-Drew wrote. "He had 10 or more carries in four games this season, with his best performance coming against Cleveland (14 carries, 84 rush yards for 6 yards per carry) in early December. There's a chance we see more of McLaughlin next season, with Williams headed toward free agency.”

Yes, McLaughlin could see an increased workload next season, with Williams set to hit free agency. But it depends on what else the Broncos do at the position.

The Broncos will add to the room, but exactly how remains to be seen. Even so, McLaughlin could find himself as the No. 2 running back.

However, if he wants to replace Williams, especially in the receiving game, McLaughlin will need to improve his play there. As he enters his third season, the Broncos can unlock that aspect of his game.

As for Estime, it would be difficult for him to overcome two fumbles in his first nine carries and then suffer an injury. However, he managed to get some snaps to close out the season as Payton looked for a solution to his run game issues. There's also an opportunity for Estime to have a more significant role in 2025, depending on the same circumstances as McLaughlin.

“The rookie took advantage of his opportunities when playing behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, and he had a strong finish to the season, with two touchdowns over Denver's final three regular-season games," Jones-Drew wrote. "As I mentioned in McLaughlin's blurb, Williams is likely headed elsewhere, meaning there is also a chance for Estimé to seize a bigger role.”

Estime only had 76 carries on the season, with 26 coming between the two Kansas City Chiefs games. That's where he picked up 87 of his 310 rushing yards on the season. His 4.1 yards-per-carry average for the season wasn't ideal, but Payton often used Estime in short yardage situations or to run out the clock, which brought his average down.

The Takeaway

Jones-Drew's ranking of Denver's running back trio was better than expected, showing that they still had some impact. But two things can be true and not mutually exclusive.

The Broncos' running backs weren’t terrible, but they weren’t good enough to run it back with them in 2025. The Broncos need to add to the room, and it would be wise to add two running backs while allowing Williams to walk in free agency.

With one or two running backs added to the roster, McLaughlin, Estime, and even Tyler Badie could battle it out for the last spots available and hopefully see them step up their play.

The Takeaway

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