In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Jameson Williams paid off an offseason of positivity with a breakout game (five receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown). He knows it's only the start for him though, and head coach Dan Campbell noted how he still has room to improve.
In fantasy terms, Williams was a top-five wide receiver across the board in Week 1 (standard, 0.5-point PPR, full PPR). He obviously won't do that every week (we think), but a Week 2 matchup looks promising.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an injury-riddled secondary right now, to say the least, and their defensive front wasn't far behind by the time Week 1 ended. An underwhelming pass rush and a depleted secondary is a formula for the Lions to have plenty of success through the air in Week 2.
PFF points to great Week 2 matchup for Jameson Williams
After a disappointing Week 1, Amon-Ra St. Brown's fantasy managers aren't bailing on him. The question for Williams' fantasy managers is what to do with him, or if he is started where expectations should be this week.
In his Week 2 piece outlining WR-CB matchups to target or avoid in fantasy, Nic Bodiford of Pro Football Focus highlighted Williams in a "part-time matchup" against Buccaneers' rookie slot corner Tykee Smith, with matchups against outside cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Christian Izien (who moved from safety in Week 1) also mentioned alongside Williams' varied alignment in Week 1.
"Williams logged a 42.3% wide-right pre-snap alignment plurality, plus a 34.6% wide-left rate and a 25.0% slot rate. Whether Izien remains in the role has yet to be determined, and Williams can hold his own against all three, but Williams will assuredly face Smith on a robust snap-share minority."
"Among 31 NFL slot defensive backs with at least 15 slot-coverage snaps, Smith ranks 17th in targeted rate (14.3%), 21st in yards allowed per coverage snap (1.19) and ties for 27th in explosive pass plays allowed rate (4.8%). He allowed a 100.0% catch rate and forced zero incompletions."
Bodiford twice noted Williams as a "WR3 with WR1 upside" in fantasy this week. It'll be hard to repeat his Week 1, but "Jamo" just might get it done in a nice-looking matchup against an undermanned Tampa Bay secondary. There aren't many WR3/flex options with more sheer upside in Week 2.