Javonte Williams Contract Terms
Javonte Williams is returning to the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year deal worth up to $24M with $16M guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport.
RELATED: See other important player moves here.
Fantasy Football Impact for Javonte Williams with the Dallas Cowboys
Coming off a career year, his first with the Dallas Cowboys, Javonte Williams is being rewarded with a chance to be their starter for the next few seasons. Williams averaged 75.1 rushing yards per game last year, seventh-most among all running backs and a career best. His 2.5 yards after contact per attempt ranked as the best of his career. Williams finally blossomed into the productive and efficient back he was drafted to be.
Williams was a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2021 and put together a promising rookie season, showing the ability to break tackles, create yardage after contact, and catch passes. Excitement for his sophomore campaign was quickly derailed by a devastating knee injury. Williams spent the next two seasons recovering and never regained his early-career efficiency, slowly falling into a muddy committee. His usage in Dallas couldn’t have been more different.
Williams averaged 19 opportunities per game, seeing double-digit touches in all 16 games he suited up for. His 62 red-zone touches were the fifth-most among running backs, and his 51 targets ranked 11th, showcasing his ability to garner high-value touches near the end zone and through the air.
Williams is still just 25 and had a very desirable profile coming into the league and through his rookie season. It’s easy to chalk up his down 2023 and 2024 campaigns to injury. With his efficiency metrics rebounding to early-career levels, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about his outlook. Of course, the draft is approaching, and Williams’ contract isn’t especially burdensome on the Cowboys’ balance sheet. It’s possible they allocate a draft pick toward another back, but Brian Schottenheimer’s confidence in Williams during his first year as head coach suggests belief in Williams’ ability to shoulder the load.
Assuming Williams makes it through the NFL Draft unscathed, he should be targeted as a top-ten running back in 2026 fantasy football drafts. His insulation in the Cowboys’ high-scoring offense provides a significant boost to his dynasty value.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
The Cowboys spent two Day 3 draft picks on running backs last year: Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. Blue spent a big chunk of the year as a healthy scratch, reportedly due to effort in practice. He did little with his touches, averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt. Mafah spent most of the year on IR, suiting up for the final game of the season and logging seven touches for 29 yards. The excitement that Williams would move on in free agency and open a door for them has ended. Similarly, every pending free agent running back has lost the opportunity to become the Cowboys' starting running back, long viewed as one of the most desirable landing spots for fantasy football.
Stock Watch
Risers
Fallers
- Jaydon Blue
- Phil Mafah
- Every pending free agent running back
Overview
After a breakout season as an efficient workhorse in Dallas, Javonte Williams will return to the Cowboys, hoping to maintain control of the backfield and turn in another RB1 season.