Jameson Williams to the Lions: Williams Offers Huge Fantasy Football Upside
The Detroit Lions moved up to draft wide receiver Jameson Williams 12th overall.
Williams broke out in a huge way in 2022. After transferring from Ohio State to Alabama, he lit up defenses to the tune of 79 catches, 1,572 yards and 15 tuddies last year. He averaged a whopping 19.9 yards per reception in his final collegiate season, a mark which ranks in the 93rd percentile, according to PlayerProfiler. He is, however, coming off a torn ACL that occurred in the national title game.
What is Williams bringing to the Motor City?
Player Comparisons
numberFire's Brandon Gdula breaks down Williams' profile and gives a top comparison.
"Williams' profile is very comparable to Justin Jefferson's." @gdula13 sees Jameson Williams as a BIG contributor for the Lions in the NFL pic.twitter.com/BV2LXddrMP
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) April 29, 2022
Gdula's draft database has found these 10 prior prospects to have the most similar statistical profiles to Williams'. Keep in mind that these are based not on play style or traits but age, athleticism, draft equity, experience, efficiency, and production.
| Rank | Jameson Williams Profile Comparisons | Similarity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Jefferson | 93.7% |
| 2 | Calvin Ridley | 88.7% |
| 3 | Jerry Jeudy | 87.7% |
| 4 | CeeDee Lamb | 87.7% |
| 5 | Josh Doctson | 86.3% |
| 6 | Will Fuller | 86.3% |
| 7 | Ja'Marr Chase | 84.0% |
| 8 | Dyami Brown | 84.0% |
| 9 | Devin Smith | 83.3% |
| 10 | Nelson Agholor | 83.3% |
Gdula's Take: Williams, subjectively, is my WR1 in this class given the talent. He tore his ACL in the national championship game this season but is rehabbing well. His comps are basically off the charts, and so long as he returns close to 100%, he's slated for big production in the NFL.
Jameson Williams' 2022 Fantasy Football Projection
Gdula’s initial projections for Williams -- who may not be fully healthy in time for Week 1 -- include 48 catches, 503 yards and 2.4 touchdowns, making him the PPR WR73 for the season. If Williams winds up playing a full season, his projection will rise.
While Amon-Ra St. Brown performed well last year, Williams will likely take over as the Lions' number-one wideout once he is healthy. A superb talent, Williams' fantasy football outlook could improve dramatically in 2023 if the Lions are able to leave next year's draft with one of the top quarterbacks.
On FanDuel Sportsbook, the Lions are listed at +15000 to win the Super Bowl and +1200 to take the NFC North, and they have a win total projection of 6.5 on FOX Bet.
