Jameson Williams given some extra juice as a 2024 fantasy breakout candidate

Entering his third NFL season, with no injury rehab or a gambling suspension to derail him, it's time for Jameson Williams to step up. The Detroit Lions have cleared the runway for him to break out, with Josh Reynolds leaving in free agency and not drafting a wide receiver who would vie for targets.

It's easy to be skeptical about Williams taking a big, consistent role in the Lions' offense, with plenty of other mouths to feed. But in actual and especially fantasy football terms, he's a layup as a breakout candidate for this year. In every way, there's nowhere to go but up and no less an authority than head coach Dan Campbell has set the bar there.

"By the end of the year, we really felt like he (Williams) started to come into his own,” Campbell said at the NFL Combine. “He’s going to be push to be a full-time starter now, and that’s what we’re looking for....As long as he gets back and puts the work in like we believe he will because he’s shown that, he’s only going to get better and better and better.”

Fantasy analyst adds extra layers to Jameson Williams as a 2024 breakout candidate

CBS Sports fantasy football analyst Jamie Eisenberg recently dove into the little bit old school but still relevant idea to highlight third-year wide receivers. He grouped them as stars, mid-round targets and breakout candidates to target.

At first blush Williams would seem to best fit the last category of third-year receivers, but Eisenberg had him as the last of three mid-round targets.

"I'm hopeful that Williams can make a big leap in Year 3 because the first two seasons of his career have been disappointing. His rookie season in 2022 was slowed by his recovery from a torn ACL, and he played only six games. Then 2023 started with his four-game suspension for gambling. But his role should expand in 2024, and Josh Reynolds (Denver) is now gone, opening up a starting spot (and 64 targets) opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions already have plenty of weapons with St. Brown,Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but Williams adds a speed element that could help Jared Goff and the offense be more explosive.....I plan to draft Williams as early as Round 9 in all leagues, and he has the upside to be a top 30 Fantasy receiver in 2024."

Eisenberg also shared SportsLine's stat projection for Williams.

42 catches, 639 yards, five touchdowns, 73 targets

It is only May, and ADPs can and will change by the time the teeth of fantasy draft season comes. But according to Fantasy Pros, Williams is coming in as WR49 in both full and 0.5-point PPR, with an obvious difference in overall ADP (No. 95 in full PPR, No. 116 in 0.5-PPR). On Underdog Fantasy (best ball), he's WR48 and No. 98 overall.

So Eisenberg's assertion that he'd draft Williams as early as the ninth round (12-team league) isn't a stretch right now. "Top 30 fantasy receiver" upside definitely exists, and if his ADP stays in WR4 range there'll be draft value for those willing to take the plunge on a cheaper piece of a good offense.