Star Lions receiver Jameson Williams to play Week 2 against Buccaneers

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will play in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Jordan Schultz.

Williams had been listed as questionable on the Lions’ injury report with an ankle injury and was limited in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The 23-year-old receiver is coming off the best game of his young career. Against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football, Williams caught five passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, an average of 24.2 yards per reception. He also carried the ball once for 13 yards.

The Lions finally get to see the dynamic playmaker they drafted out of Alabama with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Williams, who caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final season of college football, was limited in his first two NFL seasons.

Williams tore his ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia, causing him to miss the start of his rookie season. Williams played in just six games as a rookie, catching one pass for 41 yards and rushing once for 40 yards.

Williams’ second NFL season was postponed after he was suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy by betting on a college football game during a Lions trip. The NFL had originally suspended Williams for six games, but shortened his suspension to the first four games of the 2023 season.

Williams went on to appear in 12 games and start 10 games in his second NFL season. His role on offense remained somewhat limited, as he caught just 24 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ best season in three decades.

In just one game in 2024, Williams has already surpassed 100 receiving yards for the first time in his NFL career. He did it on just six total receptions, showcasing the explosive ability he displays when he touches the ball.

His explosiveness is also highlighted by his performance against the Rams, as provided by Next Gen Stats. Three of Williams’ five receptions went for more than 25 yards, either due to his speed down the field or his ability to accumulate yards after the catch.

Williams’ speed adds another dynamic element to the Lions’ offense, which already features a myriad of playmakers in receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, tight end Sam LaPorta and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Williams already has the NFL’s fifth-fastest single-play time, hitting 21.03 miles per hour on his 36-yard reception from quarterback Jared Goff, according to Next Gen Stats.

Adding another dimension to the Lions’ offense is essential as Detroit looks to follow up its NFC Championship Game appearance with a Super Bowl run.