Lions WR Jameson Williams emerged as one of NFL's top YAC threats in 2024
Jameson Williams took a big jump for the Detroit Lions in his third season. The speedy wideout topped 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in part because of his ability to run after the catch, something the Lions utilized much more than they had in Jamo's earlier years.
Williams ranked fourth in YAC among receivers with at least 50 receptions in the 2024 season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Plays like this one against Seattle certainly helped. Incorporating Williams into more crossing routes and layered concepts plays into his world-class speed and ability to leave defenders chasing at his increasingly distant heels.
That change in Jamo's role is reflected in his average depth of target, or ADOT. In his first two seasons, Williams' ADOT was 16.0. In 2024, that dropped to 11.2. Williams becoming a more versatile receiver, adapting from being a straight vertical threat into someone the Lions could trust to handle more intricate route concepts, helped him explode into a much more useful and dangerous option.
While the departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears has some worried about the offense, Williams might actually take another step up under new coordinator John Morton. In Denver, where Morton (and passing game coordinator David Shaw) coached in 2024, the Broncos were masters of using Sean Payton's offensive scheme, deploying speed horizontally as well as vertically. Players like Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin thrived after the catch by getting room to run on crossers, drags and keen spacing between receivers. That's precisely where Williams took his big step forward in 2024 and is poised to progress even more in 2025.
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