Javonte Williams — Week 3: Nineteen Carries, Ninety-Eight Yards
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Williams carried 19 times for 98 yards and a 2-yard touchdown with seven first downs, the most carries and yards of his three games, and caught 2 of 3 targets for 5. Six carries on the opening drive gained 44 yards to the Baltimore 1, and a fourth and one at the Dallas 44 in the second quarter was stopped for no gain, in a 34–31 loss to the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro.
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Nothing to nothing, nine 35 left in the first quarter, first and goal at the Baltimore five. Javonte Williams ran at right guard for four yards to the one — his sixth carry of the game's first Dallas drive, which had gone eight, three, 17, eight, four and four. The 17, second and seven at the Baltimore 34, was worth +1.8 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position. From the one, Dallas threw incomplete, Dak Prescott was sacked for a loss of nine on third and one, and Brandon Aubrey kicked a field goal. On the next drive Williams finished it himself: first and goal at the two, four 35 left in the quarter, right guard for the touchdown and a 10-to-nothing lead.
The line: 19 carries, 98 yards, one touchdown, seven first downs, eight of the 19 successful, minus point nine expected points on the carries; three targets, two catches, five yards, one first down. The carries went eight, three, 17, eight, four, four, three, two, three, one, −1, three, −1, two, 22, three, 15, one, one. 12 before halftime for 55 yards, seven after for 43, and two in the fourth quarter for two. The costly pair came in the second quarter, down 14 to 10: third and two at the Dallas 43, one yard; then fourth and one, at right tackle, stopped for no gain with Roquan Smith credited with the tackle and a forced fumble. Williams recovered at the 43, and Baltimore took over there and kicked a field goal. −3.3 expected points and seven points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. The long runs were in the third: 22 on second and 10 from the Dallas 33, and 15 on the first snap after the Ravens' touchdown made it 24 to 13, on the drive that ended in Jake Ferguson's touchdown. The catches: a three-yarder in the first quarter with a face-mask penalty added, and two yards on third and one in the third, converted.
The split: Dallas had 26 designed runs, and Williams had 19 — Tyler Goodson six, KaVontae Turpin one, the go-ahead touchdown. Three targets of Prescott's 40 throws.
Back in June the preview called last season a career year built on a secure bellcow role — 252 carries for 1201 yards — and on 11 rushing touchdowns, which it called the part least likely to repeat. Week 1 was 12 carries for 41 yards, five catches, and two touchdowns in a loss at the Giants. Week 2 was 12 carries for 30 yards and no first downs in a win over Washington. Sunday's 98 yards were more than the first two games combined. Three games: 43 carries, a hundred 69 yards, two rushing touchdowns and one receiving. The role June called secure looks it; three games settle little. Dallas is at the Texans on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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