Antonio Williams held to 15 yards vs. Seahawks

Williams tied Dyami Brown for the second-most routes run (24) by any Commanders receiver, but he saw one fewer target than he did in his rookie debut. The rookie receiver came up short on an opportunity for a wide-open touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin on a trick play, which was the closest he came to generating a big play in this one. All three of Williams’ targets came on the second-to-last drive of the game for the Commanders. There’s far too much target competition here to consider Williams a viable fantasy asset in Week 3’s game against the Seahawks.

A limited session this early in the week shouldn’t stop Lane from suiting up on Sunday, but it’s worth noting. Lane split the WR4 role with Antonio Williams in Week 1. Williams stole the show with four catches for 64 yards and a score. If Lane can’t suit up this week, Williams could be in line for a larger role.

Williams’ 64 receiving yards were enough to lead all Commanders players in Sunday’s loss. The rookie third-rounder made his first catch late in the second quarter, picking up 16 yards to put the Commanders down on Philly’s one-yard line, which set up a rushing touchdown by Jacory Croskey-Merritt on the following play. He again came up big with a 33-yard reception in the fourth quarter to convert a third-and-14 that helped set up another Commanders touchdown, and on the team’s final drive of the game, Williams displayed good hands on a one-yard touchdown when he maintained control of a low, poorly thrown ball for the score. While Williams’ strong performance certainly warrants more opportunities, he shouldn’t be viewed as any more than the third receiver in Washington’s passing game. He’s an intriguing stash in deeper leagues, but there’s no reason to chase the points in next week’s game against the Cowboys.

Playing early is one thing. Pulling targets from Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and Chig Okonkwo is another. Williams has reportedly had a strong camp and will likely see most of his snaps come from the slot in his rookie season. The former Clemson Tiger caught 130 passes over his final two seasons, but it’s hard to imagine him offering much fantasy production, especially in the early part of the season.

Breer adds that third-year Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey has “taken another step.” Perhaps this receiving corps is slightly better than one may have thought a few months ago. Both players are behind WR Terry McLaurin and WR Stefon Diggs, who has “immediately stepped into a leadership role” on his new team, but receiving depth is a plus for QB Jayden Daniels.

Sure, it’s not like Jaylin Lane or Luke McCaffrey did much in this offense last year, and Deebo Samuel remains an unsigned free agent as we blurb this. Chig Okonkwo probably profiles as the second option after Terry McLaurin at this point, but Williams garnering a real role wouldn’t be surprising in light of how the depth chart currently looks.

Williams, 21, stands 6’/187. He was a four-year starter at Clemson, primarily lining up in the slot, as a go-to receiver running quick-hitting routes. He also contributes as a seam stretcher. Williams earned first- and third-team All-ACC honors, respectively, over the last two seasons. He missed two games in 2025 due to a hamstring injury and posted a 55/604/4 receiving line. Williams also threw one touchdown pass and scored once as a rusher in each of the past two seasons. He could warrant FLEX consideration in PPR formats if he earns his team’s starting slot receiver role, but gaining access to two-wide receiver sets is critical for reliable fantasy productivity.

Williams (6'0"/180) goes to nearby Dutch Fork High School which is only 30 minutes from South Carolina’s campus. The number four ranked prospect in the state, Williams is a highly sought-after recruit for the Gamecocks, as new HC Shane Beamer is trying to mend fences with the Dutch Forks coaching staff that has sent their last two prize recruits, WR Jalin Hyatt and CB Bryce Thompson, to Tennessee. South Carolina may have a slight edge, but Williams still has 15 teams on his interest list.

Williams (6'0/180) holds offers from numerous Power 5 programs, including South Carolina, Arizona State, Auburn, Duke and Florida State. However, of the six schools that he plans to visit in June, only the Gamecocks (June 4) and Tigers (June 13) have extended offers. In addition to South Carolina and Auburn, the Williams has also scheduled trips to Clemson (June 6), Georgia (June 12) and Ole Miss (June 18-19). According to 247Sports.com recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong, South Carolina is considered to be the early favorite in Williams’ recruitment.