Welcome to Week 4 of the 2025 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Chargers Passing Game
- Browns Passing Game
- For Real or Fool's Gold, WR Edition
- Hot Running Back Starts
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: This quartet of RBs has delivered top-16 value after three weeks.
- Javonte Williams (RB6)
- Travis Etienne Jr. (RB9)
- J.K. Dobbins (RB13)
- Jaylen Warren (RB15)
Which ones have the best shots to attain/sustain RB1 value in 12-team formats?
Dave Kluge: Javonte Williams’s breakout feels real. After his rookie season, many were touting Williams as the RB2 in dynasty behind only Saquon Barkley. He’s a tackle-breaking machine who consistently generates yards after contact. His yards after contact per attempt were elite through his first two seasons (3.4 and 3.5).
After his devastating knee injury in 2022, that metric dropped to 2.7 and 2.4 yards over the next two seasons. Now, he’s generating 3.7 yards after contact per attempt, the best of his career and 6th-most among running backs with 30-plus carries.
Williams was drafted young, and he is still just 25 years old. While he had a lot of telltale signs of a dead-zone running back in the offseason, it’s time to abandon those priors. He looks rejuvenated and healthy in Dallas, and he has little competition for touches.
Tipp Major: Every season, a few surprise stars emerge—players we flagged as risky or barely considered in drafts—who suddenly look like fantasy cornerstones. The big question is always the same: are these breakouts sustainable, or just an early-season mirage?
For Javonte Williams, I believe it’s the real deal. With CeeDee Lamb sidelined for a few weeks, Williams should see even more work in the passing game.
Williams already has 13 receptions and has proven to be a reliable option out of the backfield. Now it seems Dak Prescott will have to lean on him even more, and that kind of reliability often translates into fantasy points.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer loves to run the ball and has already called Williams the guy in the backfield. Running backs on high-powered offenses are always valuable because of their chances to reach the red zone and find scoring opportunities. If you landed Williams as your “needle in the haystack,” keep him locked into your lineup until further notice.
Joseph Haggans: I mentioned in the Week 2 roundtable that Javonte Williams was a Week 1 performer who I was thrilled with. He has been rolling, and the Dallas offense looks to have full confidence in him. Williams has averaged just under 15 carries per game over the first three, turning those carries into 75 yards per game. He also has three touchdowns during that span.
What makes it better is his inclusion in the passing game. Williams has averaged five targets per game so far this season. It is hard not to love a player averaging 20 touches per game and getting redzone duty.
J.K. Dobbins has also looked great for the Broncos, and Sean Payton favors feeding Dobbins and saving electric rookie RJ Harvey for change-of-pace duties and the return game. Dobbins has scored a rushing touchdown in every game so far this season and has only conceded 13 carries to Harvey over the first 3 games.
The Broncos have a well-balanced offense and an always-evolving offensive-minded coach in Payton. As long as Dobbins continues to run hard, and stay healthy, he should remain heavily involved in a potent Broncos offense.
Mike Kashuba: Jaylen Warren and Travis Etienne Jr. are the most likely to keep their RB1 pace, but Etienne's job security is still in question. The Steelers have moved away from any desire to play Kaleb Johnson, and Warren is getting more volume than he's ever shouldered. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, Warren's passing usage is more efficient than it's ever been, and he's on pace to shatter his previous rushing totals.
Etienne is showing all of the tools we expected when he was a first-round pick, but with Bhayshul Tuten flashing talent on limited touches, I'm also investing in Tuten. Javonte Williams isn't likely to sustain his RB1 value because of his reliance on touchdowns and a dysfunctional offense, but there's not a backup waiting in the wings to inherit some exciting volume.
Jeff Blaylock: Of these, Warren and Williams are the only ones topping 60 percent of their team's total rushing attempts, and they're the only ones out of the four with double-digit targets. They have the best shot at sustaining those levels.
While I can say many true disparaging things about Arthur Smith from a fantasy manager's perspective, he has produced a top-12 running back in four of his six seasons as offensive coordinator or head coach. Last season in Pittsburgh was one of the exceptions, but Warren wasn't the lead back then. He is now.
Warren's share of running back touches has increased each week. It was 54 percent in Week 1, 67 percent in Week 2, and 82 percent in Week 3. His lead rushing role and involvement in the passing game will help him stay in the fantasy RB1 conversation.
Williams is enjoying a Renaissance in Dallas. He's producing career-best rushing yards, rushing attempts, and receptions per game, and his 5.3 yards per rushing attempt is nearly a yard better than his best season to date. To the extent that Dallas can remain balanced offensively, Williams will continue to see the kind of usage that generates fantasy RB1 numbers.
Meng Song: Jaylen Warren has the best shot to sustain RB1 value in fantasy for the time being. No one's particularly excited to start Warren each week, but his offensive snaps jumped to 80 percent this past week after the benching of Kaleb Johnson. The rookie simply made too many errors, which leaves a healthy dose of touches for Warren in the near future.
There's not much potential on the ground behind a poor Steelers offensive line. Still, without a clear No. 2 pass-catcher behind DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh and an underperforming defense forcing more passing, receiving volume as Aaron Rodgers' preferred checkdown option can keep Warren's PPR production afloat. Warren isn't all that different from Chuba Hubbard right now with the volume he's seeing.
Andy Hicks: Williams or Dobbins would be the best shot to sustain fantasy rankings. I will choose Dobbins. Both these guys are finally producing after lengthy injury histories on new teams.
The gap between Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey is much wider than it is between Williams and Miles Sanders. Not only that, but Dobbins also has a favorable schedule for the next six weeks: the Bengals, Jets, Giants, and Texans.
All 6 are bottom-10 teams against the rush so far. Dobbins was also very successful for the Chargers in 2024, whereas Williams was fighting against the same system in which Dobbins is thriving.
Jeff Bell: All four have a shot to sustain their production. It is obvious, but especially with this group, the key is health. Williams has looked revitalized with the opportunity to be the featured back after looking headed out of the league.
Etienne’s relationship with Trevor Lawrence goes back to 2018. Their rapport is key to helping Liam Coen fully integrate his offense.
Dobbins' only limitation in his career has been health; we have seen him put together outstanding performances when active, and he has scored nine touchdowns in two of his four seasons despite injury. Mike Tomlin referred to Warren as the featured back before the season, a role Warren held in Week 3.
Waldman: Which players from this list are you shorting the most with their backups?