Dr. Roto is out of the office, so Resident Doctor Ted Chmyz is filling in with today’s fantasy football prescription!
Things have officially gone from “worse” to “even worse” for Lions WR Jameson Williams. Last year’s 12th overall pick was always going to start his career slowly thanks to a torn ACL suffered in his final college game, and finished his rookie year with just one reception in six games. Heading into 2023, fantasy managers were still in on the 22-year-old. With his draft capital, pedigree and explosive big-play ability, Jameson was an obvious breakout candidate — after all, his one rookie-year reception was a 40-yard touchdown.
However, Jameson’s fantasy value took another huge hit when it was announced that he would miss the first six games of his sophomore season thanks to a gambling-related suspension. Despite this, Williams remained a popular breakout pick, with many projecting that he would hit the ground running upon his return and be a difference-maker down the stretch and in the fantasy playoffs.
Unfortunately, Williams suffered yet another setback on Wednesday, pulling up during camp with what was eventually revealed to be a hamstring injury. The Lions have already announced that Williams will likely be shut down for the remaining two weeks of preseason, meaning he will not take the field again until Week 7 at the earliest. That’s not ideal for a sophomore player that saw hardly any reps as a rookie and is reportedly struggling with drops in camp. If we’re looking on the bright side, it could be a blessing in disguise that Williams is suspended, ensuring he will have plenty of time to return to 100% health before seeing full-speed action. On the other hand, hamstring injuries tend to linger, and being suspended means Williams won’t even be allowed to rehab with team doctors at team facilities.
Where he once was ticking every box as an elite WR prospect, Williams is now ticking every box as a potential bust. His talent and upside haven’t just disappeared, but not every talented player eventually makes an impact in the NFL. I don’t hate the idea of buying in while his stock is at an all-time low, especially in Dynasty leagues, but don’t get carried away. With all these red flags, I view him more as a high-risk/high-reward late-round dart throw than a no-brainer breakout candidate.
