After entering the NFL in 2022 with a torn ACL and then missing a chunk of 2023 due to a gambling suspension, Williams finally broke through in his third professional season, topping 1,000 receiving yards while scoring eight TDs in 15 regular-season games. His 91 targets were second most on the Lions, albeit a distant second to Amon-Ra St. Brown's 141, with Williams taking on a sizable portion of the passes that had gone to TE Sam LaPorta the previous year. Known for his blazing speed, Williams scored four TDs of 50-plus yards, plus a fifth in the postseason, although he wasn't used purely as a deep threat -- his aDOT dropped from 15.7 in 2023 to 11.3 in 2024. In fact, only 15.9 percent of his targets came 20-plus yards downfield (5-of-14 for 243 yards and three TDs), and he actually did far more damage in the 10-19 yard range (19-of-32 for 430 yards and four TDs). Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson put Williams' speed to good use in a variety of ways, including 11 carries and 12 targets behind the line of scrimmage. New coordinator John Morton has a lot of mouths to feed and will have a hard time matching Johnson's brilliance, but Williams' excellent showing in 2024 should lock him in for at least a handful of targets per game this season.
