Jameson Williams
23-Year-Old
2023 Receiving Stats
REC
24
YDS
354
TD
2
AVG
14.8
TAR
42
2024 Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Wide receivers these days almost always break out within their first two seasons or not at all, but Nico Collins proved in 2023 that the third-year breakout isn't totally dead. Williams also has better excuses than most, having suffered an ACL tear at the very end of his college career and then missing the first six games of 2023 for a gambling suspension (ok, maybe that second part isn't such a good excuse...). The other good news? He's still only 23, his elite speed is evident to the naked eye, he'll be playing in a top offense, and the Lions don't have anyone else suited to the WR2 role. Of course, they don't necessarily need the WR2 to be a volume guy given their numerous other weapons, nor have they shown any signs of being the type of team that would force a player targets just because he was a 12th overall pick. Williams will need to earn everything he gets, just as he did as a 20-year-old at Alabama in 2021 (79-1,572-15) following two seasons of obscurity at Ohio State behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, there is an outcome where Williams takes a big step forward in 2024 from a real-life standpoint but still doesn't see enough targets to be a reliable fantasy starter, as he''ll still be in an offense that wants to feed WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, TE Sam LaPorta and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. While a truly elite player could force his way into that picture, Williams appears more on track to land somewhere between 'star' and 'bust'. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Gets subtle vote of confidence
Williams is part of a WR room that didn't add any new bodies during the 2024 NFL Draft.
ANALYSIS
It's a subtle vote of confidence in the 12th overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, as Detroit's roster otherwise has a slew of fourth-receiver types behind Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, namely Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green and Tre'Quan Smith. The No. 2 receiver spot may not be a high-volume task in an offense with ARSB, TE Sam LaPorta and an excellent RB duo, but it's nonetheless a positive sign for Williams that the Lions didn't prioritize adding competition for him this offseason. While he made a bunch of big plays down the stretch last season, Williams has played only 522 regular-season snaps on offense to this point in his career and has never caught more than five passes in a game.
It's a subtle vote of confidence in the 12th overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, as Detroit's roster otherwise has a slew of fourth-receiver types behind Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, namely Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Antoine Green and Tre'Quan Smith. The No. 2 receiver spot may not be a high-volume task in an offense with ARSB, TE Sam LaPorta and an excellent RB duo, but it's nonetheless a positive sign for Williams that the Lions didn't prioritize adding competition for him this offseason. While he made a bunch of big plays down the stretch last season, Williams has played only 522 regular-season snaps on offense to this point in his career and has never caught more than five passes in a game.
NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Jameson Williams' 2023 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank.
The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
Air Yards Per Game
55.0Air Yards Per Snap
1.53% Team Air Yards
16.7%% Team Targets
7.3%Avg Depth of Target
15.7 YdsCatch Rate
57.1%Drop Rate
7.1%Avg Yds After Catch
4.6% Targeted On Route
18.7%Avg Yds Per Route Run
1.57Loading Advanced NFL Stats...
2023
2022
2023 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Jameson Williams lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
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Side
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2023 Jameson Williams Split Stats
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Set for big role in 2024
Williams is poised to play a larger role in 2024 after the Lions lost Josh Reynolds in free agency and didn't add a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com predicts.
ANALYSIS
Williams was drafted in the first round by the Lions in 2022 but has played just 18 games thus far, missing most of his rookie season while recovering from a torn ACL before sitting out a chunk of the 2023 campaign due to a suspension for violating the league's gambling policy. Williams played about two-thirds of snaps during the Lions' playoff run last season, and Barnwell believes the speedy wide receiver will see the field even more often in 2024.
Williams was drafted in the first round by the Lions in 2022 but has played just 18 games thus far, missing most of his rookie season while recovering from a torn ACL before sitting out a chunk of the 2023 campaign due to a suspension for violating the league's gambling policy. Williams played about two-thirds of snaps during the Lions' playoff run last season, and Barnwell believes the speedy wide receiver will see the field even more often in 2024.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
Returning from an ACL tear at the end of his Alabama career, Williams was held out for the first 11 games of 2022, taking only 78 offensive snaps in six appearances. His one catch on nine targets went for a 41-yard touchdown, at least, and he had another distance TD wiped out by a penalty. There's not much to work with from his rookie season, so it's probably best to view Williams as a rookie again this year. However, the 22-year-old's 2023 season debut will be delayed after he was suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the league's gambling policy. Once Williams -- who went 12th overall last year, right behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson -- is eligible to play again, he could potentially see a high volume of perimeter snaps in Detroit's offense following the offseason departure of DJ Chark. In terms of pure speed, Williams is in the same league as former college teammate Jaylen Waddle, though with a slightly narrower build (6-1, 180) and only one season of big-time college production (79-1,572-15 in 2021).
More Fantasy News
Pushing to be 'full-time starter'
Head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Williams is set for an increased role in 2024, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports. "[Williams] is going to push to be a full-time starter, and that's what we're looking for. Everybody grows at a different rate. Maybe it's taken him a little bit longer, but he is developing and growing. The kid has come on. We got high hopes for him and see him continuing to grow," Campbell said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
ANALYSIS
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Totals 383 total yards in 2023
Williams caught 24 passes (on 42 targets) for 354 yards and two touchdowns while rushing three times for 29 yards and one touchdown over 12 regular-season games in 2023.
ANALYSIS
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Logs full practice Wednesday
Williams (ankle) practiced fully Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Practicing to start week
Williams (ankle/illness) is practicing Wednesday, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Expected to play versus Los Angeles
Coach Dan Campbell said Monday that Williams (ankle/illness) is expected to be good to play Sunday against the Rams, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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