Javonte Williams’ team, the Denver Broncos, are on a roll, having won three in a row. Kenneth Walker III’s Seattle Seahawks, meanwhile, have won three of their last four games. So, which back is the right choice to start in your fantasy football lineup? Let’s check out the fantasy outlook for each player this week.
Should You Start Javonte Williams or Kenneth Walker III This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Williams is the player to start. His projected 14.2 points include 52 rushing yards, six catches, and 29 receiving yards. That projected stat line barely outperforms the consensus projections of Walker (13.1 points).
My ranking for these two running backs aligns with the consensus. Williams’ versatility separates him this week.
Fantasy Outlook for Williams This Week
The Broncos have been running the ball well of late, with five straight games with at least 115 rush yards. And Williams has been key to this running attack, leading the Broncos in both carries (111) and rushing yards (436) this season.
He has been a workhorse of late in the Denver backfield, with 48 carries total over his last two games, and over his last three contests, Williams averaged 82 rush yards per game. He has rushed for at least 75 yards in each of those last three games.
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But while Williams is still in search of his first rushing touchdown of the season, he does have back-to-back games with a touchdown reception. In fact, he’s had at least three receptions in three straight games, and he’s had multiple catches in seven of his eight games this season.
Fantasy Outlook for Walker III This Week
Like Williams, Walker leads his team in carries (145) and rushing yards (595), with an added bonus of a team-leading six rushing touchdowns.
His 770 scrimmage yards rank eighth in the NFL, and while his 15 runs of 20 or more yards since the start of last season are the most in the NFL, it was his 64-yard touchdown reception last week that no doubt has fantasy managers excited.
So why isn’t he the pick to start ahead of Williams in your fantasy lineup this week?
That long touchdown reception has basically been the only highlight in Walker’s stat line over the last two weeks. Over his last two games, Walker has 79 rushing yards on 28 carries, for an average of fewer than three yards a carry (2.8).
On top of that, Walker has just one other catch besides the touchdown reception over the last two weeks, and that went for just a single yard.
Walker does have a favorable opponent to match up with in Week 11 in the Rams, who rank 22nd in rush yards per game allowed by opposing running backs (91.9).
However, Walker was at home last week against one of the league’s worst defenses in the Washington Commanders, and he managed just over three yards a carry in that game (3.3). So, for now, I’ll go with the hot hand of Williams for this week.
The Optimizer does project Walker to finish with 62 rushing yards, with two receptions and 14 receiving yards on top.
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