Who Should I Start? Javonte Williams or Jaleel McLaughlin


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
13.5 65.8 0.5 2.1 11.7 0.1

Javonte Williams News

Javonte Williams Set to Continue Dominance After Breakout Year

Tuesday, August 25, 9:01 AM

Running back Javonte Williams is ready to have a strong second season for the Dallas Cowboys following a breakout 2025 that earned him a three-year, $24 million extension. "Even without the money, it would still be fun just to be out here with the team," Williams told 1310 The Ticket, via the Dallas Morning News. "My teammates, I see how hard they work. Just on Sundays, for everything to come together, it's beautiful." Williams, who previously spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos, solidified himself as the Cowboys' starting back in 2025 with a career-high 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. The rest of Dallas' running back corps is thin and inexperienced, with Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis, and Phil Mafah. This ensures Williams will run the ground game, especially when the season opens up. Williams is a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside as he aims for a big 2026 season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.8 2.4 0.0 0.2 1.8 0.0

Jaleel McLaughlin News

Jaleel McLaughlin Fighting for RB4 Spot in 2026

Tuesday, July 14, 7:54 AM

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin is set to battle for the RB4 spot in the Broncos' backfield this summer with Tyler Badie, according to The Denver Post's Luca Evans. The Broncos are expected to keep only four RBs on their active 53-man roster, so the loser of the battle will be the odd-man out. McLaughlin was a healthy scratch early on in 2025 but eventually became Denver's most effective per-touch skill player down the stretch after J.K. Dobbins' season-ending foot injury boosted him to RB2 duties behind rookie RJ Harvey. But with rookie Jonah Coleman now in the mix in 2026, McLaughlin's path to a fourth straight season opening the year on the active roster "looks dicey." Badie, meanwhile, is trusted by the coaching staff and quarterback Bo Nix for his pass-protection skills and veteran instincts. The 25-year-old McLaughlin has an impressive 4.8 yards per carry in his career, but Badie's work in passing situations may eventually win out. Even if McLaughlin wins a 53-man roster spot out of training camp and the preseason, it's clear that both his redraft and dynasty fantasy stock has taken a big hit with the addition of Coleman.


Javonte Williams vs. Jaleel McLaughlin

Still trying to decide between Williams and McLaughlin? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Javonte Williams is projected to score 13.5 points this week while Jaleel McLaughlin is projected to score 0.8 points.