Fantasy football managers, heed the call! The 2024 season is upon us, and Detroit Lions' wide receiver Jameson Williams is poised to be one of the fantasy football's breakout stars. Expectations are soaring for this young athlete as he enters his third season in the NFL.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently conducted a survey among NFL executives and scouts, and Williams received the highest number of votes as the "breakout player" for 2024. According to Bleacher Report, an AFC executive stated, "He's in a great offense, and Amon-Ra (St. Brown) isn't a secret anymore, so [Williams] should get one-on-one looks. He can absolutely fly and is an ideal deep threat for Jared Goff. He looks like himself again, too" (Bleacher Report).
Jameson Williams' rookie year was hampered by a torn ACL he suffered in his final college game, forcing him to miss the Lions' first 11 games. However, despite an additional setback in 2023 with a four-game suspension for violating the league's gambling policy, Williams managed to haul in 24 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns in 12 regular-season appearances. He also racked up 121 yards from scrimmage and added two touchdowns in the playoffs.
Despite his potential, fantasy football managers remain cautious. Williams has an average draft position of 125.1 in standard Yahoo Sports leagues, which is significantly below teammates Amon-Ra St. Brown (7.8) and Sam LaPorta (29.8) (Bleacher Report). Yet, this could mean a hidden treasure for those willing to take the gamble.
Pride of Detroit's Morgan Cannon echoes the sentiment, stating, "Give me all of the Jameson Williams stock. He is coming off of a Spring and Summer where he got a ton of praise from this coaching staff, including being called, 'A man on a mission,' by coach Dan Campbell" (Pride Of Detroit). General Manager Brad Holmes also highlighted Williams' growth over the last two years, both as a person and a player, further solidifying the belief in his potential.
Hamza Baccouche from Pride of Detroit commented, "When I look up and down the Lions roster, it’s hard to see anyone competing with Levi Onwuzurike for this title, assuming reports out of Allen Park aren’t an exaggeration. We’ve heard nothing but phenomenal stuff all preseason, and I’m excited to see it with my own eyes come regular season." While Baccouche's focus was on Onwuzurike, a similar excitement surrounds Williams' potential (Pride Of Detroit).
Brandon Knapp confidently predicts big things for Williams: "Jamo is going to pop off this year, as I even wrote about him hitting a 1,000-yard season. He took a few weeks last year to move into the WR2 role and he still missed time due to his suspension. This year he’s had another offseason to grow and improve and he’s looked good in a lot of training camp practices" (Pride Of Detroit).
Jameson Williams is not just a fantasy pick but a necessity for your roster this year. The combination of his speed, growth, and the Lions' dynamic offense makes him a tantalizing prospect. So, Lions fans and fantasy football managers alike, keep an eye on Williams as he takes flight in 2024.
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