UNC Football in NFL: Javonte Williams among top rookies through two weeks

A former UNC Football standout is making a good early impression in the NFL just two weeks into his career.

Vic Fangio has the Denver Broncos at 2-0 on the year despite not fully getting the most out of his offense this season. The 2-0 start is good enough to have the Broncos tied atop the AFC West with Las Vegas and a one game lead on both Kansas City and Los Angeles. But while the offense hasn’t hit full speed just yet, one former UNC standout is making headlines.

Running back Javonte Williams is the highest-rated offensive rookie through two weeks per Pro Football Focus, earning a grade of 77.3. That included a Week 2 rating of 81.9 in the team’s win over Jacksonville on the road:

Through the first two weeks, Williams has rushed for 109 yards on 27 carries and has yet to find the end zone. He’s also caught two passes for six yards. While the numbers aren’t eye-popping yet, Williams has had to split time in the backfield with veteran Melvin Gordon.

Gordon has 129 yards on 24 carries so far this season, making it a true split for the running backs.

However, the tide could be turning in Williams’ favor. A stat from NFL’s NextGen Stats in Week 2 shows that Williams could eventually get the majority of the workload moving forward:

"Javonte Williams had 13 carries for 64 yards, including +10 RYOE. He ran for yards over expectation on 53.8% of his carries in Week 2. Williams has rushed for yards over expectation on 51.9% of his carries this season, the 4th highest rate among RBs. Melvin Gordon ran for -18 RYOE and picked up rush yards over expectation on just 23.1% of his carries."

Williams and the Broncos are hosting the New York Jets on Sunday, another opportunity for the rookie to improve his stock in Week 3.

For more on Williams and other former UNC Football players, please make sure to check back with Keeping it Heel.