Javonte Williams injury update: Latest on Broncos RB for fantasy football Week 5

Javonte Williams was not part of the Denver Broncos' comeback victory on Sunday (October 1). The third-year running back had to leave early after seeing just two carries and three catches. The former North Carolina Tar Heel was forced out of action with a hip injury. What does this mean for his status moving forward?

When will Javonte Williams be healthy?

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Javonte Williams injury update

Javonte Williams left the game on Sunday after barely any playing time. He was forced out of action in the first half and was initially ruled questionable to return. He would not return, as the Broncos ruled him out in the third quarter.

The team embarked on a furious comeback to earn a 31-28 win over the Chicago Bears. It was Denver's first win in the Sean Payton era. Now, they must contend with an injury to their star back among other problems they've been having.

Fortunately, it doesn't appear that the injury is serious. As per reports, it is a hip flexor, which is a very minor injury.

ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed the diagnosis on X, formerly known as Twitter:

"Broncos’ RB Javonte Williams, who left today’s win over Chicago with a hip injury, suffered a hip flexor, per source. He is not expected to miss much if any time."

Expect Williams to be limited in practice, but he should be fine.

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What happened to Javonte Williams?

It's unclear exactly when the injury occurred during the game. It could have happened at any point and after the conclusion of the drive, the running back probably went to trainers to be checked out.

They then realized that Javonte Williams was struggling with a hip injury and would likely not be able to run the ball effectively. Fortunately, the Broncos were in such a hole early on that they were forced to go to the air anyway. The run game was not very needed, so Williams could heal up on the sideline.

Since it wasn't a devastating hit or non-contact leg injury, things bode well for Williams' eventual return to the lineup. He has suffered injuries before, including a torn ACL, LCL and posterolateral corner in the early stages of last year's campaign. Fortunately, this doesn't appear to be a serious injury like that.

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When will Javonte Williams return?

Javonte Williams, as Adam Schefter reported, is not expected to miss any time at all. Since he did miss the remainder of the game, he will likely carry a Questionable tag all the way through the week. He should be back against the New York Jets regardless.

However, if he does experience setbacks in practice or reinjures his hip, he could end up missing some time. If that happens, he would be considered week-to-week and would be expected to return the week after against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Samaje Perine is his backup and it would be expected of him to step into the starting role if that were to happen. Nevertheless, any absence for Williams would be a bit of a shock.