Coming off a wonderful fantasy football performance, is Jamaal Williams a player you can trust in Week 2, especially with D’Andre Swift’s injury? Williams found the end zone twice last week and now could have increased playing time, but can you trust him in your lineup this week against the Washington Commanders?
Update: D’Andre Swift is active for the Lions’ Week 2 game against the Commanders.
Should you start Jamaal Williams in fantasy this week?
Things are a little up in the air in regard to the Detroit Lions backfield in Week 2. With Swift missing two days of practice with an ankle injury, it looked like Williams would have the opportunity to start for the Lions this week. However, there was optimism during the week that Swift would be active, and that was confirmed on Sunday morning by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
That said, the report from Rapoport was that the team may well be selective in how they use Swift. The key word there is “may.” We have no real indication of how the Lions will split carries this week. Swift could be a decoy, or simply there in case something happens to Williams, or he could have an input ranging from a few snaps in key situations to full usage. That makes it extremely hard to judge what to do with Williams.
Williams performances with and without Swift
We have a very limited sample size with which to look at how Williams might be utilized if Swift is limited in his usage (or absent). Williams has played 14 games for the Lions since singing with them in the 2021 offseason. During that time, Swift has been active for 12 games and inactive for two.
In the 12 games they have both been active, Williams averages a touch under 11 rushing attempts per game and just under 2.5 targets per game. When Swift is inactive, Williams has averaged 18 rush attempts across the two games but saw just one target across the two combined. Overall, he saw a slight increase in usage with 18.5 opportunities per game compared to just under 13.5.
However, Williams’ fantasy outputs with and without Swift have been strikingly similar. In half and full-PPR, his per-game output is actually lower. That is in part thanks to the reduction in targets in those two games but also due to the fact Williams failed to find the end zone in those two contests compared to five touchdowns in the games Swift was active.
Those numbers emphasize the dangers of small sample sizes. Williams is seeing slightly more work when Swift is out, meaning his floor is higher. Additionally, we saw him handle the bulk of the goal line work in Week 1 of the 2022 season, so there is no reason that should diminish with Swift now limited.
Start or sit Williams in fantasy leagues in Week 2?
This is a tough call this week with uncertainty around Swift’s status. In his Week 2 RB rankings, Senior Fantasy Analyst Tommy Garrett has Williams around the RB40 mark. I am slightly higher on Williams, but even then, he is in RB3 territory for me.
Williams is a player I am considering as a fringe flex option in 12-team leagues. In anything deeper, he is a plug-and-play option you should consider this week. The limitations on Swift offer comfort in terms of his floor, while the goal line work in Week 1 provides optimism in terms of his ceiling.