Search Login Sign Up
Login Sign Up
Advice

Free Analysis

Week 13 IDP Hits: The Book on Budda
Week 13 IDP Hits: The Book on Budda
Podcast: Week 13 FanDuel 12-3-21
Podcast: Week 13 FanDuel 12-3-21
Podcast: Week 13 DraftKings 12-3-21
Podcast: Week 13 DraftKings 12-3-21
Podcast: Week 13 Preview 12-2-21
Podcast: Week 13 Preview 12-2-21
READ ALL FREE ANALYSIS »

Premium Analysis

DFS Showdown Tips: Patriots-Bills
DFS Showdown Tips: Patriots-Bills
Week 14 Free Agent Focus
Week 14 Free Agent Focus
Week 14 IDP Free Agent Focus
Week 14 IDP Free Agent Focus
DFS Showdown Tips: Broncos-Chiefs
DFS Showdown Tips: Broncos-Chiefs
READ ALL PREMIUM ANALYSIS »

Categories

Draft Strategy Draft Strategy
DFS DFS
DS Sleepers DS Sleepers
Free Agent Focus Free Agent Focus
Dynasty Dynasty
Draft Recaps Draft Recaps
Podcasts Podcasts
Fantasy Football Tips FF Tips
Rankings

Week 14 Rankings

Quarterback Quarterback
Running Back Running Back
Wide Receiver Wide Receiver
Tight End Tight End
Kicker Kicker
Team Defense Team Defense
Defensive Back Defensive Back
Linebacker Linebacker

Rest of Way Rankings

Quarterback Quarterback
Running Back Running Back
Wide Receiver Wide Receiver
Tight End Tight End
Kicker Kicker
Team Defense Team Defense
Defensive Back Defensive Back
Linebacker Linebacker
Tools

Preseason

Mock Draft TrainerMock Draft Trainer
Draft War RoomDraft War Room
ADP IndexADP Index
Injury IndexInjury Index

Regular Season

Free Agent FinderFree Agent Finder
Trade Partner NavigatorTrade Partner Navigator
My Teams IntelMy Teams Intel
Who Should I Start?Who Should I Start?

Daily Fantasy Sports

Value ProjectionsValue Projections
Daily Lineup GeneratorLineup Generator
Intel

Preseason Intel

ADP IndexADP Index
Depth ChartsDepth Charts
Historical StatsHistorical Stats
Injury IndexInjury Index

Regular Season Intel

Fantasy Points AllowedFantasy Points Allowed
Strength of ScheduleStrength of Schedule
Teams & Boards
Create a New Team

Add a team

for Mock Draft, Draft War Room and Free Agent Finder
View All of My Teams View All My Teams & Tools ▸ Add Team Add Team ▸
Search
Show Navigation
Show Menu
Player Profile

Jamaal Williams - Fantasy Points Outlook

Basic Stats Basic Stats

Jamaal Williams
DET

RB DET

#36 Running Back

127 Projected Points

ADP: Not Available
Bye: 9
Experience: 4 Yr(s)
Age: 26
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215
40 Time: 4.59

Weekly Outlook

3d Projection

Med Floor

5.5

DS Projection

7.9

Consensus

38 other sites
10

High Ceiling

13.8

Rest of
Season

7.7

Week 14 Projections
Rush Yds Rush TDs Rec Rec Yds Rec TDs Fantasy Pts
57.6 0.2 1.4 9.3 0 7.9
Weekly Writeup

Rest Of Way Outlook

Rush Yds Rush TDs Rec Rec Yds Rec TDs Fantasy Pts
44 0.2 2 15 0.1 7.7
Week 13
Williams had 17 carries for 71 yards while adding 1 reception for 9 yards.
Williams disappointed in a big way as teammate DeAndre Swift missed the game due to injury but Williams was unable to capitalize.
The rushing usage was strong for Williams with 17 of 27 Lions carries, but his 1 target was disappointing as he had shown he was a capable receiving back throughout most of the season.
Williams should be used as a RB3 if DeAndre Swift continues to miss time.
Week 12
He stepped in as Detroit’s feature back after RB D’Andre Swift exited midway through the 2nd quarter of Thursday’s game vs. the Bears. Over the final 2-and-a-half quarters, Williams tallied 8 carries and 5 targets. Detroit’s other RBs -- Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson -- combined for 1 carry and 1 target.

Swift is not expected to play vs. the Vikings in Week 13, leaving Williams atop the depth chart. Lions RBs have combined to average 22.2 carries and 9.3 targets per game this season. Williams figures to soak up a good chunk of that. Remember that Swift totaled 45 carries and 11 targets in the 2 games Williams missed earlier this year.
Week 7
Williams after a solid start to the season has cooled off as of late. Williams hasn’t cracked double digit fantasy points since Week 3. He’s taken a backseat to D’Ande Swift over the last month, especially in the pass game. Williams has only seen 4 targets in the past 4 games vs. 27 for D’Andre Swift. This has regulated Williams to a strictly 10-12 carries a week ,which if he doesn’t score leaves him with a very low floor and minimal ceiling.
This usage for Williams doesn’t make him a drop, but if you are a Williams owner it might be a good idea to try to trade him to the Swift owner. The same goes for Swift owners who don’t have Williams, as if Swift goes down then Williams will be locked in to every-down role.
Week 3
Williiams continued to see significant work despite playing behind D’Andre Swift. Willams was on the field for a season-high 49% of the snaps with some snaps having both of the RBs on the field at the same time. Since the game was close throughout, his 12 carries represented a season high, and even though the Lions had to throw a bit more late in the contest, it was Swift seeing 7 targets to just 2 for Williams.

He should continue to be a lock for at least 40% of the snaps played each week, and it’s reasonable to think he can also remain involved enough in the offense to match the minimum of 10 touches he’s had in each game so far. However, after seeing 9 targets in a Week 1 game that the Lions ran 92 plays, he’s seen just 5 targets over the last 2 games, turning those into 5 catches for 38 yards. Playing him as a flex is ideal, though he should have a solid number of RB2 weeks as well.
Week 2
Williams carried the ball 7 times for just 25 yards against his former team. He also caught all 3 of his targets.

This was the second week in a row where Williams and teammate D’Andre Swift saw similar opportunities despite a sizable snap and route advantage for Swift.

Going forward, if Williams is going to see double-digit opportunities, he will be a usable option in most weeks. He won’t win you a week by any means but should be fine enough if you are in a pinch. Now if the volume shifts to resemble the difference in snap rates between he and Swift, Williams could become someone who is tough to trust.

At this point he is a hold but be ready to cut bait if things change from an opportunity perspective.
Week 1
True to their word, the Lions coaching staff gave Williams almost as much work as D’Andre Swift, as Williams’ 17 touches was just 2 shy of his teammate. He was efficient as both a runner and receiver, but the 9 targets he saw was largely due to a game script that had the Lions down as much as 28 points. He was able to convert a rushing TD with less than 2 minutes left in the game to give him an excellent fantasy performance.

Going forward, this Week 1 usage may be a bit misleading. Williams saw just a 42% snap share while Swift played 68% of the time, so this could be more of a 1-2 punch than a 1A-1B situation. Of course, we have just 1 week of data. But based on that, WIlliams may be more of a solid flex than strong RB2. If the Lions make a weekly habit of falling behind on the scoreboard, the potential targets and receptions would raise his floor and ceiling.

Basic Stats Preseason Player Analysis

What You Need to Know:

  • You’ve probably read or heard some version of new OC Anthony Lynn classifying his RBs. Here’s his full quote (from The Athletic):
    • “Jamaal is what I’d call a classic ‘A’ back. I like to break the backs down into A and B. My ‘A’ backs are normally my bigger backs. They can run between the tackles, block probably a little better than a ‘B’ back. They can also run the perimeter. I can leave those guys in there for all three downs. My ‘B’ back comes in, he’s a guy that sometimes I want to use in space more. He’s my speed-in-space guy. I feel like Jamaal would be an outstanding ‘A’ back. I like his energy, I like his pad level and the way he runs the football between the tackles.”
  • In the same article, Lynn credited Williams as presenting surprisingly good route-running and pass-catching ability.
  • Williams ranked 20th in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades last season among 63 RBs with 75+ carries -- well ahead of D’Andre Swift at 46th. Williams’ 2020 rushing grade came in well ahead of his marks from the previous 3 seasons, but he has improved that number each year.
  • Swift (19th) beat Williams (32nd) in receiving grade, among 61 RBs with 20+ targets.
  • Williams rated near the top of the position as a pass-blocker over his 1st 3 seasons, before earning a poor grade in that area in 2020.
  • Football Outsiders rated him 15th in receiving DYAR and 16th in DVOA among 50 qualifying RBs. (Swift checked in 9th and 13th, respectively.)
  • Swift also topped Williams in FO’s rushing metrics: 16th vs. 26th in DYAR and 14th vs. 22nd in DVOA. Both backs rated above replacement/average level in each phase.
  • The Lions return just 2 players who reached 40 targets for the team in 2020.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

Even if you believe D’Andre Swift to be the superior talent -- and we do -- there’s room for both him and Williams to factor heavily into the 2021 Lions offense. New OC Anthony Lynn has indicated he will have Williams on the field plenty and praised his ability in basically every area of RB play.

Williams’ range of outcomes for this season includes leading Detroit in carries. The sheer possibility of that makes him a solid value at RB40. Beware of further ADP climbing, though, as Williams has already moved up amid the Lynn buzz.

Recent Shark Bites View All Shark Bites »

Lions RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) is active for today’s game vs. the Browns. He’d be a desperation play but does figure to steal some work from RB D’Andre Swift.

View all Jamaal Williams Shark Bites »

Related Players D'Andre Swift

Lions RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) is expected to play vs. the Browns today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Williams averaged 10.1 carries and 2.6 targets over the season's first 7 games. He'd be a desperation fantasy play but is certainly bad news for RB D'Andre Swift's touch projection.

View all Jamaal Williams Shark Bites »

Related Players D'Andre Swift

Lions RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Browns. He’s not a fantasy option, but if he returns he’d likely steal a handful of touches from RB D’Andre Swift.

View all Jamaal Williams Shark Bites »

Related Players D'Andre Swift

Lions RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) returned to a limited practice on Wednesday. That presumably puts him on track to return for this weekend's game vs. the Browns. Williams isn't a viable fantasy option, but his return would siphon a few touches from RB D'Andre Swift.

View all Jamaal Williams Shark Bites »

Related Players D'Andre Swift

Lions RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Steelers. RB D’Andre Swift busted with Williams out for Detroit’s last game. But Williams’ absence is still a boost to Swift’s Week 10 fantasy value.

View all Jamaal Williams Shark Bites »

Related Players D'Andre Swift

DraftShark Tools

Preseason Tools

Mock Draft TrainerMock Draft Trainer »
Draft War RoomDraft War Room »
ADP IndexADP Index »
Injury IndexInjury Index »

Regular Season

Free Agent FinderFree Agent Finder »
Trade Partner NavigatorTrade Partner Navigator »
My Teams IntelMy Teams Intel »
Who Should I StartWho Should I Start? »

Daily Fantasy Sports

Value ProjectionsValue Projections »
Daily Lineup GeneratorLineup Generator »
Winning Your League Starts Here Trophy

Why Wouldn’t You Invest
$36 to Win Your League?

Check out thisleague-winning info
2021 Draft Package Now - Sept 15th

$39

Get Instant Access
2021 In-Season Package Sept 5th - Mar 7th

$39

Get Access Sept. 5th
2021 DFS Package Sept 5th - Mar 7th

$49

Get Access Sept. 5th
Best Value – All Access Pass
DS Insider Membership All 3 Packages

$127 $36

Semi-annual auto-renew
Get Instant Access
Draft War Room Included Draft War Room – Draft War Room – Draft War Room Included Draft War Room
Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings – Award-Winning Player Rankings – Award-Winning Player Rankings Included Award-Winning Player Rankings
3D Projections Included 3D Projections – 3D Projections – 3D Projections Included 3D Projections
Live-Draft Sync Included Live-Draft Sync – Live-Draft Sync – Live-Draft Sync Included Live-Draft Sync
In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles – In-Depth Player Profiles – In-Depth Player Profiles Included In-Depth Player Profiles
Mock Draft Tool Included Mock Draft Tool – Mock Draft Tool – Mock Draft Tool Included Mock Draft Tool
Round-by-Round Draft Strategies Included Round-by-Round Draft Strategies – Round-by-Round Draft Strategies – Round-by-Round Draft Strategies Included Round-by-Round Draft Strategies
Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts – Insider Sleepers & Busts – Insider Sleepers & Busts Included Insider Sleepers & Busts
Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring – Average Draft Position by Scoring – Average Draft Position by Scoring Included Average Draft Position by Scoring
Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor – Scientific Injury Predictor – Scientific Injury Predictor Included Scientific Injury Predictor
In-Season Weekly Rankings – In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings – In-Season Weekly Rankings Included In-Season Weekly Rankings
“Who Should I Start?” Tool – “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool – “Who Should I Start?” Tool Included “Who Should I Start?” Tool
“My Team” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications – “My Team” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “My Team” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications – “My Team” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications Included “My Team” Tool w/ Analysis & Notifications
Live-Sync Free Agent Finder – Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder – Live-Sync Free Agent Finder Included Live-Sync Free Agent Finder
Trade Partner Navigator – Trade Partner Navigator Included Trade Partner Navigator – Trade Partner Navigator Included Trade Partner Navigator
Player Shares – Player Shares Included Player Shares – Player Shares Included Player Shares
In-Depth Free Agent Gems – In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems – In-Depth Free Agent Gems Included In-Depth Free Agent Gems
Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice – Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice – Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice Included Buy/Sell/Hold Trade Advice
Strength-of-Schedule Data – Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data – Strength-of-Schedule Data Included Strength-of-Schedule Data
DFS Lineup Builder – DFS Lineup Builder – DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder Included DFS Lineup Builder
DFS Ownership Projections – DFS Ownership Projections – DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections Included DFS Ownership Projections
Weekly GPP Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		– Weekly GPP Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		– Weekly GPP Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		Included Weekly GPP Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		Included Weekly GPP Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel)
Weekly Cash Game Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		– Weekly Cash Game Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		– Weekly Cash Game Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		Included Weekly Cash Game Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel) 		Included Weekly Cash Game Picks
(DraftKings & FanDuel)
Weekly Top Stacks – Weekly Top Stacks – Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks Included Weekly Top Stacks
High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews – High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews – High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews Included High-Stakes DFS Line-up Reviews
DFS Independent – DFS Independent – DFS Independent Included DFS Independent Included DFS Independent
Daily Fantasy Advice – Daily Fantasy Advice – Daily Fantasy Advice Included Daily Fantasy Advice Included Daily Fantasy Advice
Personalized Email Advice – Personalized Email Advice – Personalized Email Advice Included Personalized Email Advice Included Personalized Email Advice
Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles Included Premium Insider Articles
Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates Included Daily FF Email Updates
Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates Included Breaking News Updates
To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives Included To-the-Minute Game Day Inactives
All-Access
Draft Sharks App All–Access Draft Sharks App 		Included All-Access
Draft Sharks App 		Included All-Access
Draft Sharks App 		Included All-Access
Draft Sharks App 		Included All-Access
Draft Sharks App
Get Instant Access Get Access Sept. 5th Get Access Sept. 5th Get Instant Access

Turn your phone into a draft weapon with our FREE APP

Download on the App Store Get It on Google Play