Since he was taken 12th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has been a bit of a polarizing figure. Coming out of the University of Alabama, Williams was widely regarded as the best receiver prospect in the class prior to tearing his ACL in the final game of his college career. And while his first few years in Detroit had their share of speed bumps, Williams would eventually become the player many envisioned when Lions general manager Brad Holmes moved up 20 spots
to draft him.
In the fourth iteration of our 2026 season preview series, we will look back at Williams’ 2025 performance, as well as look forward to what the upcoming season might have in store for the now fifth-year pro.
Previous season previews: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Sione Vaki, OT Penei Sewell
Jameson Williams season preview
Expectations heading into 2025
Fresh off of his first 1,000-yard season in the NFL in 2024, many around the team were hoping that production was a sign of things to come for Jamo. As we alluded to above, Williams obviously had some maturing to do during his first two years in the league. We saw glimpses of the potential here and there during the 2023 season that ended in the NFC Championship round, but for one reason or another, the St. Louis native had not yet put it altogether.
After the 2024 season, that all changed in a hurry. There was still plenty to clean up, but Williams was now considered yet another focal point in an offense that has no shortage of playmakers. And while most would argue that All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will remain the lead dog for as long as he is in Detroit, Williams’ performance in 2024 was enough to solidify his status among the Lions’ other elite skill players.
Actual Role in 2025
17 games (17 starts): 992 offensive snaps played (90.3%)
Stats: 65 receptions on 102 targets, 1117 yards, 17.2 yards per catch, 7 touchdowns.
PFF offense grade: 75.6 (30th out of 91 qualifying receivers)
PFF receiving grade: 76.7 (29th)
Just like the Lions’ brass hoped, the team’s longterm patience with Williams’ development paid off for the second conesecutive year. Following the aforementioned breakout season in 2024, Williams followed that up with an equally impressive performance in 2025–improving both his catch and yardage totals. Beyond the counting statistics, his game was more polished as well.
When you turned on the tape from last year, you saw a more confident player who was now fully bought in when it comes to attention to detail. One who was no longer having to think about things like hitting his landmark on a route, or where he was supposed to be if the coverage shifted as the ball was snapped. It was coming naturally because of the on and off field work Williams had been putting in, which in turn allowed him to show off the speed that separates him from so many of his peers.
As promised, his route tree expanded, giving him additional opportunities to make big plays once he had the ball in his hands. Similar to a boxer that has a devastating right hook, opposing cornerbacks have to constantly respect Williams’ ability to take the top off a defense. This results in Williams being really open when Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks his way. It seems like at least once a game, Williams is running a drag where he has two steps on the defender, or he is able to snap off a route near the boundary because the corner is sitting on the go route. Once he completes the catch, if the defense isn’t able to get him on the ground prior to him opening up his stride, it’s typically going to end with Williams dancing in the endzone.
“I’m proud of him,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Williams during the 2025 season. “And it’s all him. The amount of work he’s put in and the amount of stuff that he’s gone through – wherever it came. How it came, whether it was outside or it was his own doing, whatever the case is, man, he overcame all of it. And he just continues to – he’s grown so much.”
As far as things Williams can continue to work on in order to take his game to new heights, most will say the first order of business should be cleaning up the drops. Per Pro Football Reference, Williams was credited with 12 drops in 2025–9 more than he had in 2024.
“Catching, that was my main thing. Catching. I wanted to get better at catching,” said Williams after a 2026 minicamp practice.
Outlook for 2026
Coming off of back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Williams will once again be a key component in a Lions’ offense that is looking to silence critics in 2026. Like with St. Brown, it’s clear that Goff trusts Williams, even a bit too much at times. That trust can sometimes lead to some head-scratching turnovers. At the same time, it can lead to 70-yard house calls, too.
As far as targets are concerned for the upcoming season, I don’t expect those numbers to fluctuate much. Because the Lions have so many mouths to feed on offense, 100 to 115 targets likely feels like the sweet spot. Especially when you consider that Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is also going to be tasked with finding opportunities for the likes of St. Brown, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta, and others.
With that said, I do expect Williams to have his best season as a professional. Another year of experience under his belt will serve him well. On top of that, I trust Petzing and the coaching staff to maximize Williams and the rest of the offense’s abilities better than what we saw in 2025. Especially early in the season when the unit was having difficulty establishing any kind of rhythm offensively.
Expect Petzing to get Williams involved early and often with some looks specifically designed for the explosive receiver. Because no matter what anybody says about long, sustained drives, every offensive coordinator will tell you that they love a one or two play drive just as much.
