Fantasy Football Today: Jameson Williams is a sell-high candidate depending on the state of your roster

Jameson Williams erupted for four receptions on six targets for 124 yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sunday’s performance yielded 22 Fantasy points, which was more than his projected total of 11 Fantasy points. While the Jaguars’ pass defense has given up the second-most passing yards in the NFL, the Lions passing attack has proven to be quite potent, and they’re capable of having success against most secondaries in the NFL.

 There are peaks and valleys associated with Williams’ play this season, especially when you factor in the two-game suspension, but he’s averaging 12.8 Fantasy points per game, which places him 37th among all Fantasy receivers. He’s not going to post 22 Fantasy points every week, but his latest performance may be intriguing to Fantasy managers in need of WR help.

In the Fantasy Football Today Week 11 Recap, Adam Aizer asked whether or not it’s time to sell Jameson Williams. Dave Richard and Jamey Eisenberg had conflicting views regarding a suitable trade for Williams.

“He (Jameson Williams) definitely fits the bill as a sell-high candidate, but what do you think you’re getting for him though? That’s the thing. Would you trade him for Travis Etienne? Probably so. Would you trade him for Bucky Irving?” 

Dave Richard adds, “I’d rather have him (Jameson Williams) than (Travis) Etienne at this point.” Jamey continued, “But that’s the range of players you’re talking about, though. You’re not getting a superstar for Jameson Williams.”

Any trade proposal for Williams will likely include a mid-tier player. Receiving an elite player for an up-and-down wide receiver is out of the question. However, if you’re attempting to gauge whether or not Williams could bolster your Fantasy roster, the trick is to assess the run defense of the Lions’ opponents every week. That may sound strange but there’s a method to the madness here.

Whenever the Lions run the ball successfully, there’s a chance that Williams breaks open on a deep over route off of play action. With defenses so concerned about stopping the run, linebackers can become overly aggressive and fail to take their read step. This leaves voids in the middle of the field that can result in big plays for a player with Williams’ game-breaking speed. Judging by what’s left on the schedule, the Lions should have a fair amount of success on the ground. They play just two defenses that rank in the top 10 in rush yards given up. Additionally, they’re currently fourth in the NFL in rushing yards behind only the Ravens, Eagles, and Commanders.

In terms of Williams’ skill as a wide receiver, he’s no longer just a pure speed guy. He’s worked extremely hard not to give defensive backs indicators on breaking routes. This leaves defensive backs flatfooted and unable to mirror him. His enhanced understanding of how to win in one-on-one scenarios, combined with his speed, makes him that much more difficult to cover. For these reasons, it’s worth it to hold on to Williams but if your roster has needs at other positions, selling high makes all the sense in the world. 

Williams is starting in just 53% of leagues and is projected to reach 12.20 Fantasy points in Week 12. Given the state of the Colts run defense, which has already given up 1,574 yards on the ground this season, we could very well see Williams come close to duplicating his Week 11 performance. Don’t be surprised if Williams reaches at least 15 Fantasy points in Week 12.

For more Fantasy insight, be sure to check out the entire Week 11 Fantasy Recap – or watch (and subscribe) on Youtube