Who Should I Start? Javonte Williams or Tyjae Spears

Monday, January 20, 6:15 PM

The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson writes that the Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign impending free-agent running back Javonte Williams this offseason. Williams, a former second-round pick in 2021 out of North Carolina, entered the 2024 season as the team's unquestioned lead back, but poor efficiency on the ground led to the Broncos going with a committee approach in the backfield halfway through the year that also involved Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. The 24-year-old came into the NFL as a bruising, tackle-breaking lead-back option for Denver, but since suffering a torn ACL in his sophomore season in 2022, he has not been the same, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry while combining for 1,287 rushing yards and only seven rushing TDs the last two seasons. Despite leading Denver with 513 rushing yards in 2024, Williams will likely struggle to find a lead-back role on the open market.

Friday, January 3, 2:15 PM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) has been ruled out for the Week 18 matchup against the Houston Texans. Spears will sit out the regular season finale after suffering a concussion during last week's game. Before that, Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, which was his best running performance of the season. Lead back Tony Pollard (ankle) is considered a game-time decision, so the Titans could be in a bad spot if he's unable to play. Julius Chestnut and Joshua Kelley could end up having bigger roles for Sunday's game. However, neither back is considered a viable streaming option for Week 18.