Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Kyren Williams

Thursday, June 18, 5:27 AM

While playing in all 17 games in 2025, Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams finished as the fantasy RB9, but his points per game in half-PPR formats dropped by almost 1.9 points from his RB7 finish of the previous season. While many are quick to point out the growing involvement of 2024 third-round pick Blake Corum, one of the biggest factors working against Williams in 2025 was his red zone usage. Williams was still one of the most efficient goal line players in the league, but with wide receiver Davante Adams scoring an NFL record 11 receiving touchdowns from within the five-yard line, Williams saw his red zone carries drop by more than 20 attempts from the previous season. Adams holds the career record for most receiving touchdowns from the one-yard line, so his goal line usage is not going to suddenly dry up in 2026, but regression will likely prevent him from again hitting double-digit scores from that area, providing Williams more opportunities from a part of the field where he has been one of the league's most successful players over the past three seasons. At RotoBaller's RB14, Williams represents some of the highest odds of a top-five fantasy finish from a player going outside the top 12 of his position and remains a reliable RB1 for drafters loading up on receivers with their first two picks.