Williams has always had the potential to be a game-changing feature again.
He showed it as a rookie in 2021, amassing 1,219 yards and seven scores on 203 carries and 43 catches, but four games into his second season he tore his ACL and suffered further damage to his knee.
Head coach Sean Payton arrived in 2023 and was still studying Williams as the leader of the backfield, but the former second-rounder’s explosiveness was seemingly gone. After averaging 4.4 yards per carry before a knee injury, Williams averaged just 3.6 yards per carry from 2023-24, and this offseason caught up with Dallas on a cheap one-year, $3 million deal.
He turned expectations upside down in a short amount of time, scoring two touchdowns in the Cowboys’ season opener, and since then has topped 75 rushing yards in all but one contest. In three of his last five games, he has eclipsed 6 yards per carry. His 5.3 YPC overall is nearly a yard above his previous best in a season, and his 84.6 rushing yards per game trumps his previous high (53.1) by more than 30 yards.
Simply put, Williams has been a revelation for the Cowboys’ offense, which ranks second in scoring and first in yards, thanks in part to Williams keeping defenses honest so quarterback Dak Prescott can take advantage in the air.
Fortunately, the Broncos made a smart move in June by luring JK Dobbins to a one-year, $5.25 million deal, for which the veteran has rewarded them with 523 rushing yards and four TDs.
Had Denver not found a suitable replacement with a combination of Dobbins and second-round pick RJ Harvey, who has slowly come up with 264 scrimmage yards but has shown some crack, perhaps it would hurt to some degree to see Williams come to town when he finally returns to form three years after injury.
Instead, the Broncos, who sit atop the AFC West at 5-2, can celebrate the ascension of their former RB while still preparing to stop it.
“I think he found a great opportunity,” Payton said Friday. “You talk about a great… You cover him longer than I coached him, but a great lad, a great player, smart. I’m happy to see the success he’s had… [Dallas is] at the top of the league offensively for many reasons. The tight end, the talent receivers, the quarterback, the quarterback, those things you look for. Our defense will be tested, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The Broncos are scheduled to host Williams and the Cowboys at 4:25 PM ET on Sunday.