Cowboys' Javonte Williams earned RB1 spot and trust of teammates and coaches, how will Dallas utilize him?

FRISCO, Texas -- New Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has operated like a poker player this offseason when it comes to giving away insight about his offense in 2025.

He's spoken about using a "seven iron" and maintaining a "vanilla" offense in the preseason, keeping his cards close to the vest. Just a short time away from the Cowboys kicking off the 2025 NFL season on Thursday at the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles, some of those cards are coming down on the table, particularly regarding his starting running back position. 

Free agent acquisition Javonte Williams, the 25-year-old former second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2021, lined up with the Cowboys first-team offense in organized team activities, mandatory minicamp, training camp and in warmups out at practice in the past week taking handoffs from quarterback Dak Prescott. Williams is also the only running back on the roster Dallas held out of the preseason entirely. 

That's why Schottenheimer all but confirmed Williams' status as the team's RB1 when CBS Sports asked the head coach on Tuesday about Williams' ability to handle a lead running back role. Williams was the Broncos' leading rusher in 2024 with 513 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 139 carries (3.7 yards per carry), but it wasn't individually a eyepopping year for a Denver team that broke through to reach the postseason for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. The question is also worth asking because he got thrown off course by an ACL and MCL tear in 2022. Williams' 4.4 yards per touch through the last four years is the third-fewest in the NFL (minimum 750 touches) and ahead of only Ezekiel Elliott's 4.1 yards per touch and Najee Harris' 4.3 yards per touch in that span. 

"I have no questions about it [Williams' ability to carry a lead running back workload]," Schottenheimer said. "He's played plenty of football. We practice very physically when we have pads on. On Wednesday [last week], we were running an inside run and safety Alijah Clark came running down, and Alijah had gotten him a couple plays earlier. Tae got a little high, and Alijah got him. Tae got a little lower [the second time], and Alijah felt it. So I don't worry about Javonte. He plays the game one way. He's physical, and he plays it with passion and really good pad level."

"He's as advertised," Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said on Monday.

Prisco's Week 1 NFL picks: Jets spoil Aaron Rodgers' debut with Steelers, Bills beat Ravens

Pete Prisco

Those quotes from Schottenheimer and Adams indicate a much larger workload than CBS Sports SportsLine's fantasy football projections for Williams. The latest projections have Williams listed as the NFL's RB43 in terms of projected fantasy points per game with an average of 7.5 PPR points per game.

"I just expect to make plays when I'm out there," Williams said of what to expect from him in Week 1. "It kind of caught me by surprise [being held out of the preseason]. I didn't expect it, but whatever the coaches do, I respect it. They know I'm going to go out there and give it my all whenever my number is called, so it was cool. ... It just shows the confidence and trust that they have in me. I just got to repay them for it."  

Williams earned the confidence of both Prescott and the Cowboys coaching staff thanks to his swift pick up of Schottenheimer's playbook. He has always been a quick study dating all the way back to high school where he graduated as his class' valedictorian at Wallace-Rose Hill High School in Teachey, North Carolina back in 2018. He posted a 4.6 GPA.   

"Just a true pro. Another guy that, whether it be in the locker room or in meetings or on the field, doesn't say a lot, but is always doing the right thing and finishing the right way. Seeing him at camp, when he gets the ball and when he can, he's going to finish to the 30, 40 yards, whatever it is, just in practice and doing everything the right way," Prescott said of Williams on Sunday. "He's super, super smart. I call him valedictorian-Tae. That's what he is. That's not just a saying. He was a valedictorian. The guy's smart at running back and can make plays and [I'm] super excited for him to play. Super excited, can't you tell?"

Prescott first unveiled that nickname for Williams in front of Schottenheimer back in mandatory minicamp. The 25-year-old running back's ability to pick up the finer points of Schottenheimer's offense quickly, specifically in pass protection, has had the first-year head coach amped up all offseason, dating back to the end of mandatory minicamp in June. 

"It's funny," Schottenheimer said on June 12. "I was talking, I was calling a play to Dak, and I was telling [him] to remind Javonte [about something]. I said, 'Hey remind Javonte,' and [Prescott] kind of looked at me and said, 'He's a valedictorian.' Javonte looked back and smiled."

Williams lit up when CBS Sports asked him about the minicamp exchange. It's little moments like that exchange that highlight why Williams is set to be entrusted to be Dallas' starting running back. 

"It just showed the confidence that they have in me," Williams said. "I got the same type of confidence in them. Being a new guy, it means a lot coming from someone [Prescott] like that and Coach Schotty. People that have a reputation around the league. I like it here. I'm comfortable, and I'm just ready to play."

A similar occurrence went down in practice within the last few weeks following the team's return to The Star, the team's facility, after their regular training camp stay in Oxnard, California.  

"It's funny, I'll tell you a quick story about Javonte," Schottenheimer said. "We were doing a move the ball drill period a week ago, I think one of the Frisco practices [open to fans at night on Aug. 19 and 20], and I kind of pulled a play we hadn't run in a while. I was kind of staying back behind the huddle and I said, 'Hey, Javonte, you have this,' and he looked back and said, 'Schotty, I got you. I got it.' He gives you confidence, and I think he gives Dak [Prescott] confidence. And I think that's what you love about the guy. His preparation is top notch."

After not playing a single snap in the preseason and now being three years removed from his gruesome knee injury, he's ready to show his body is just as sharp as mind Thursday night in Philadelphia. 

"I feel good, healthy. I feel like this is as good as I'm going to get," he said. "I'm just ready to go and ready to get out there."