It seems like every single year there’s a player that emerges from seemingly out of nowhere to be a viable fantasy football starter. In 2023, that player has easily been Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams.
After a monstrous performance in his first week back off of injured reserve, how should fantasy managers view Williams down the stretch leading into the fantasy playoffs?
Kyren Williams’ Rest-of-Season Outlook
Before his injury in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals that ultimately led to him being placed on injured reserve, Williams was on a tear from a fantasy perspective. The second-year RB out of Notre Dame was the overall RB4 in half-PPR scoring formats and was averaging 17.4 fantasy points per contest.
#Rams RB Kyren Williams LOVES playing against the #Cardinals 🔥
He's rushed for 301 yards against Arizona between the two meetings this season❕ #RamsHouse | #NFL pic.twitter.com/aKTJVFaZQt
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 27, 2023
Fantasy managers felt his absence immensely while he was on the sideline with an ankle injury, but he came back into the lineup swinging in Week 12 against the Cardinals. The Rams were keen to give him the majority of the work again as they released Darrell Henderson Jr. and immediately gave Williams 22 total touches in his first game action since mid-October.
That opportunity turned into 16 carries for 143 yards on the ground, plus an additional six receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns! With only Royce Freeman behind him on the depth chart, should fantasy managers expect more of these types of performances down the stretch?
While we probably shouldn’t expect 200+ total yards each and every week, Williams’ talent level is shining through, and he’s seeing one of the highest touch totals week in and week out at the RB position across the league.
Williams has a very tough matchup in front of him in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns defense, but after that, he has battles against the Baltimore Ravens, the Washington Commanders, and the New Orleans Saints to lead into the fantasy playoffs. None of those matchups should scare fantasy managers away from confidently starting him.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
His schedule is capped off though with a matchup against the New York Giants defense that has been one of the most favorable for opposing RBs in fantasy this entire season in Week 17. It may not be hyperbole to say that Williams could be a league-winner here in 2023.
The question will be whether or not he’s a “lock” for fantasy lineups week in and week out and into the top-tier consideration for fantasy managers. With this performance in Week 12, plus where he was in the fantasy rankings before his injury, I feel confident saying that Williams is at least into the top 10 of the rest-of-season RB rankings moving forward.
Kyle Yates’ Updated RB Rest-of-Season Rankings
1) Christian McCaffrey | SF
2) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX
3) Jonathan Taylor | IND
4) Austin Ekeler | LAC
5) Bijan Robinson | ATL
6) D’Andre Swift | PHI
7) Josh Jacobs | LV
8) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
9) David Montgomery | DET
10) Kyren Williams | LAR
11) Breece Hall | NYJ
12) Isiah Pacheco | KC
13) Tony Pollard | DAL
14) Alvin Kamara | NO
15) Saquon Barkley | NYG
16) Derrick Henry | TEN
17) Javonte Williams | DEN
18) Rachaad White | TB
19) Kenneth Walker III | SEA
20) Jaylen Warren | PIT
21) Joe Mixon | CIN
22) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
23) De’Von Achane | MIA
24) James Cook | BUF
25) Raheem Mostert | MIA
26) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS
27) Jerome Ford | CLE
28) James Conner | ARI
29) Aaron Jones | GB
30) Zach Charbonnet | SEA
31) Najee Harris | PIT
32) Gus Edwards | BAL
33) Alexander Mattison | MIN
34) Chuba Hubbard | CAR
35) Tyjae Spears | TEN
36) Devin Singletary | HOU
37) Khalil Herbert | CHI
38) Keaton Mitchell | BAL
39) AJ Dillon | GB
40) Kareem Hunt | CLE
41) Dameon Pierce | HOU
42) Ty Chandler | MIN
43) Tyler Allgeier | ATL
44) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN
45) D’Onta Foreman | CHI
46) Roschon Johnson | CHI
47) Zack Moss | IND
48) Ezekiel Elliott | NE
49) Rico Dowdle | DAL
50) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI
51) Miles Sanders | CAR
52) Antonio Gibson | WAS
53) Elijah Mitchell | SF
54) Latavius Murray | BUF
55) Joshua Kelley | LAC
56) Justice Hill | BAL
57) Samaje Perine | DEN
58) Jerick McKinnon | KC
59) Jamaal Williams | NO
60) Emari Demercado | ARI
61) Salvon Ahmed | MIA
62) Dalvin Cook | NYJ
63) Kendre Miller | NO
64) Leonard Fournette | BUF
65) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA
66) Tank Bigsby | JAX
67) Royce Freeman | LAR
68) Craig Reynolds | DET
69) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE
70) Jordan Mason | SF
71) Keaontay Ingram | ARI
72) Zamir White | LV
73) Michael Carter | ARI
74) Ronnie Rivers | LAR
75) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS
76) Cordarrelle Patterson | ATL
77) Damien Harris | BUF
78) Clyde Edwards-Helaire | KC
79) Matt Breida | NYG
80) Trayveon Williams | CIN
81) Chase Edmonds | TB
82) Zach Evans | LAR
83) Sean Tucker | TB
84) Israel Abanikanda | NYJ
85) D’Ernest Johnson | JAX
86) Darrell Henderson Jr. | FA
87) Deuce Vaughn | DAL
88) Rashaad Penny | PHI
89) Chris Evans | CIN
90) Chase Brown | CIN
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