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    Williams struggles in Week 1 win over Saints

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    DET Wide Receiver #1
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    Jameson Williams caught 4-of-9 targets for 45 yards in the Lions’ Week 1 win over the Saints.

    Williams posted a semi-usable fantasy score, but the film was hard to watch. He dropped a perfectly thrown deep shot from Jared Goff early in the game and bungled a pitch later, resulting in a loss. Williams has had these types of games in the past and he generally rebounds well. Fantasy managers can keep him in their lineups for a likely shootout with the Bills next week.
Florio: Hurts controversy needs full examination
Mike Florio explains why unanswered questions remain in the Jalen Hurts controversy, including whether the NFLPA will seek a formal investigation and whether Hurts could consider legal action.

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  • DET Wide Receiver #1
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    The Lions’ speedster only caught two passes today, but he made them count. Williams’ first catch was a nine-yard, fourth-down touchdown on the Lions’ fifth drive. He nearly hauled in a 25-yarder via a play-action target on the sixth drive, but Cardinals CB Max Melton batted it away. He was open for an explosive gain on the next drive, but Jared Goff checked down to Sam LaPorta about 10 yards beneath Williams. A few plays later, Williams dusted his coverage defender for a 39-yard score from bunch formation, hauling in the touchdown pass in stride in the end zone. Goff later gave him another touchdown chance on a downfield throw targeted inside the Cardinals’ five-yard line, but Williams couldn’t secure it. He’ll now take a week off with the Lions’ Week 6 bye, but return as a WR2 against the Packers in Week 7.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Fantasy managers had suffered through three down games with the middle-round pick before Williams was able to take advantage of a Carolina secondary missing its top two corners. He was kept out of the end zone for the fourth consecutive contest to start the 2026 season but returned his first fantasy-viable outing on the backs of 52 Jared Goff pass attempts. While that level of volume is unlikely to be the norm for the Lions, a Week 5 meeting with the Cardinals provides another opportunity for Williams to return value in a potential shootout. Williams will be an upside WR3.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    The incident was reported to the police earlier this month. Jeff Wattrick, spokesman for the Oakland County Prosecutor, told Birkett, “Based on the facts presented to us at this time, the Novi Police and our office jointly concluded that there is no cause to file charges against Mr. Williams.” Williams has been an off-field headache for the Lions since entering the league, but it doesn’t sound like this latest incident will be an issue. He will be on the field for the team’s Week 4 date with Carolina.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Drew Petzing schemed up a few short and intermediate looks for Williams, but he still finished with a measly 12.5 percent target share. Both Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown saw eight targets. Williams has topped out at four catches through three weeks. His 49 yards today are a season-high. Williams closed the 2025 season as an every-week WR2, maybe even more. That usage has all but disappeared to start the 2026 season. He is tumbling back into the WR3 ranks heading into the Lions’ Week 4 game against the Panthers.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Williams continues to be primarily utilized as a deep threat in the Detroit offense, which is not the development fantasy managers were expecting following offseason reports that his route tree would be expanded in the new year. The mounting injuries along the offensive line have limited Goff’s time in the pocket to the point where Williams rarely has enough time for his routes to develop, leading to the down production through two weeks. Whether either of those two variables changes in the immediate future remains to be seen, leaving us to treat Williams as nothing more than an upside WR3 in the interim. He will be a difficult start in Week 3 when the Lions host the Jets.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    At least a couple times a year Campbell has to tell reporters that he’s not worried about Williams’ sometimes-egregious drops, and that his playing time won’t suffer as a result. “I mean, look, nobody’s more frustrated than he is about it, but what I love is this just shows his growth,” Campbell said. “He bounced back, he gets back in the huddle. He’s not sulking, he’s not pouting about it, he’s not letting it go in the tank.” Williams in Week 1 against the Saints had two drops, one of which could have gone for a long score. He led the Lions with 128 air yards (a 56 percent share) and was second on the team with a 23 percent target share. Williams ran a route on 37 of Detroit’s 40 drop backs. He should be locked into lineups for Thursday night’s matchup against the Bills.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Graziano said the “Lions offense is going to hum this season, and Williams is the player poised to take the biggest leap.” That leap, he said, could come as Detroit coaches push Jamo “to expand his route repertoire and contribute as more than just a deep threat.” That in turn could create more short-area and intermediate opportunities and make Williams something more than a boom-bust WR3 play. Williams’ splits with and without Sam LaPorta are concerning, but he should be a high-upside swing in fantasy drafts, especially for those who fade receivers in the first couple rounds.
  • DET Quarterback #16
    The Lions are retaining “all” of last year’s play-calling verbiage, and “it was on Drew Petzing to learn the offense,” not the other way around. Goff apparently “had as much of a hand in getting Petzing familiar with the offense as the offensive staff did.” Mays believes these developments speak to the command, agency and autonomy that Goff possesses at this stage in his career. We agree. For those who were concerned about the Lions scrapping the tactics that coach Dan Campbell employed as the Lions’ play caller in Weeks 10-18 last year, it sounds like those concepts aren’t going anywhere. Will Petzing be allowed to add his own elements to that playbook? Yes, we assume so. At the end of the day, this year’s offense could look a lot like last year’s fantasy-friendly unit, though. Draft accordingly.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Williams missed the Lions’ last two practices with what coach Dan Campbell described as a minor shoulder injury. Today’s practice was padless. We should learn more about Williams’ status when the pads go back on. Regardless, Williams seemingly remains a safe WR2/3 candidate right now.
  • DET Wide Receiver #1
    Williams was notably absent from practice on Sunday and also missed Monday’s practice. He’s dealing with a minor shoulder injury, according to Campbell. Williams was spotted at Monday’s practice helping receivers go through a drill without a brace or a sling on his shoulder. Despite missing two practices so far, Campbell said Williams is “good to go.” While the coach said a significant amount of starters will play in the Lions second preseason game on Saturday, it’s unclear and potentially unlikely that Williams will be one of them at this point.

Rotoworld

  • DAL Wide Receiver #9
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    Cowboys ruled out KaVontae Turpin (ribs) for Week 7 against the Eagles.

    Turpin’s absence will be felt most on special teams, with the team now forced to find a replacement on punt and kick returns. Otherwise, there is almost zero fantasy impact as the team’s WR4.
  • ATL Cornerback #24
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    Falcons activated A.J. Terrell (groin) from injured reserve.

    The Falcons have been attackable on the perimeter while playing most of the season without Terrell. Fellow cornerback C.J. Henderson is listed questionable for Week 7, but the reintegration of Terrell provides a much more difficult matchup for the injury-riddled 49ers.
  • DEN Running Back #20
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    Broncos activated Jonah Coleman (ankle) from injured reserve.

    Coleman missed the minimum four games as he tended to an ankle injury suffered in Week 2. He led the team in snaps in that contest and could return to the primary rushing role considering the inefficient play of J.K. Dobbins in his absence, making him worthy of a start in fantasy circles in a plus matchup against the Cardinals in his first game back.
  • BAL Quarterback #8
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    Ravens ruled out Lamar Jackson (ankle) for Week 7 against the Bengals.

    Tyler Huntley will draw the start under center for the third straight game as Jackson continues to rehab a high-ankle sprain. Jackson reportedly took most of the first-team reps at practice Friday and was close to being able to play in Week 7, with the team ultimately siding with caution for their franchise quarterback. The Ravens enter a 15-game stretch in which they play three games starting in Week 8, which could have influenced their decision to hold Jackson out one more game. Expect him back for Week 8 against the Bills. His absence greatly influences the upside of the remaining skill position players considering Declan Doyle has halved his usage of play action and completely eliminated RPO with Huntley under center.
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    Dallas Goedert (knee) was removed from the injury report Saturday and will play against the Cowboys in Week 7.

    Goedert reportedly aggravated his previous knee injury but got back on the practice field for a full session Saturday before being removed from the injury report. He could be stepping into a massive target share with both DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks ruled out. Fantasy managers can start him as an upside TE1 in a great matchup against the Cowboys in Week 7.
  • PHI Running Back #26
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    Saquon Barkley (hamstring) is questionable for Week 7 against the Cowboys.

    Although getting in a full practice Saturday, the Eagles head into Monday’s game against the Cowboys with Barkley listed as questionable following a two-game absence. Fantasy managers have a decision considering the Eagles play in Week 7’s final game on Monday Night Football, with no clear fall back options should he be unable to play. It would seem prudent to make alternate plans at the position.
  • PHI Wide Receiver #6
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    Eagles ruled out DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) for Week 7 against the Cowboys.

    The Eagles will be without their top two receivers but got good news Saturday with the removal of Dallas Goedert from the injury report. Saquon Barkley is listed as questionable and appears to be a true game-time decision. Considering the low involvement of the backfield in the pass game this season, Goedert stands to benefit the most from the absences at wide receiver. He can be started as an upside TE1 in a solid on-paper matchup against the Cowboys.
  • MIN Running Back #27
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Vikings plan to activate Jordan Mason (thumb) from injured reserve.

    Mason came into the season as the presumed lead back in a timeshare with Aaron Jones, the latter of whom has performed as a true workhorse in Mason’s absence. Although it could take a week or two for Mason to fully regain the lead back role, his presence significantly mutes the potential of Jones. Expect a near-even split when the Vikings take on the Colts in Week 7.
  • CLE Running Back #22
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    Browns activated RB Dylan Sampson (knee) from injured reserve.

    Sampson was limited in practice throughout the week and listed as questionable for Week 7 against the Titans. Now that he’s officially been activated from injured reserve, he’s likely to be Cleveland’s change-of-pace back behind Quinshon Judkins this week. Sampson is worth stashing on fantasy benches, but is truly just a desperation FLEX play coming off a knee injury that’s sidelined him since Week 1.
  • JAC Wide Receiver #7
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    ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that several teams believe the Jaguars could trade WR Brian Thomas Jr.

    Appearing on ESPN Saturday morning, Fowler, citing Thomas’ zero catches over the last two weeks, said something has to give in this situation. According to several teams the NFL Insider talked to, Thomas could be traded over the next few weeks. Fowler listed the Chiefs and Steelers as potentially interested teams and was emphatic that there will be suitors for Thomas. If you have Thomas in fantasy, it’s hard to imagine his value getting worse with a change of scenery. The Jaguars would appear content to roll with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers and Travis Hunter as their top receivers in the event of a Thomas trade.