After two disappointing seasons, people were beginning to criticize the Lions for burning the 12th overall pick on Jameson Williams in 2022. It may have taken three years, but it seems like Williams has finally found his place within the Lions' offense and is on the path to living up to his draft capital.
Williams set career-highs across the board in the Lions' Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. He was involved in the game plan from start to finish and made several key plays for the Lions. The biggest play was a 52-yard touchdown where Williams blew by the Rams' secondary and connected with Jared Goff down the field.
Williams captivated fans in Week 1, but we're in danger of missing out on the encore in Week 2. Williams popped up on the injury report this week and may be unavailable for the Lions' matchup against the Buccaneers.
WEEK 2 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Will Jameson Williams play this week? Injury update on Lions' WR
UPDATE: Jameson Williams is officially active this week and is expected to play without limitations.
Jameson Williams is officially designated as "questionable" heading into Sunday's game. Per the team's injury report, Williams is listed as having an ankle injury that has led to limited practice participation throughout the week.
Head coach Dan Campbell and other members of the organization have yet to indicate whether Williams will play this week. Considering he has been able to participate in practice to some degree, it would come as a bit of a shock to see him ruled out.
This will be a situation where fans and fantasy managers should keep their eyes peeled for reports coming out of Detroit in the next 24 hours. Check back here as well, where we'll be providing updates on Williams' status as they become available.
Lions' WR Depth Chart: Who is Jameson Williams' Backup?
The Lions are quite thin at wide receiver, carrying just four receivers on the 53-man roster. The WR3 is veteran Kalif Raymond, who has been with the team since 2021. If Williams is unable to suit up, Raymond will be asked to step up to play a complementary role behind Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The next man up would be rookie Isaiah Williams. The University of Illinois product signed with Detroit as a UDFA following the draft in April. He would slot in as the de facto WR3, but likely would not take on much of a role considering the talent at other places on the roster.
WEEK 2 FANTASY ROSTER MANAGEMENT ADVICE
Trade Report | Start 'Em, Sit 'Em | Usage Report | Sleepers | Busts | Weather | Flex Finder
Jameson Williams fantasy outlook Week 2
It's often said that excuses are made in fantasy for bad players. This doesn't seem to be the case for Williams; the suspension and ACL recovery played significant roles in his slow adjustment to the NFL. Williams dominated in the first game of his third NFL season and his fantasy stock was skyrocketing as a result.
If Williams is able to play, he warrants consideration as a starter in WR3 or Flex slots. He currently comes in as the WR63 in the Sporting News rankings. Williams is the type of player who can take the top off the defense and flip the script on his weekly fantasy performance with just one play.
He should have the opportunity to make a big play or two against a banged-up Tampa Bay secondary. The Buccaneers will be without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who was going to play a big role in containing Williams on his downfield routes. Don't be surprised if Williams gets loose at some point on Sunday.
