Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams addressed concerns about his maturity last season, growing into a premiere deep threat for quarterback Jared Goff despite some lingering troubles with drops.
Williams could continue to grow in 2026, with one NFL analyst predicting he will turn in his best season yet as he continues to grow.
Jameson Williams Expected to Top 1,000-Yard Plateau Again
SI.com’s Vito Chirco noted that Williams still struggled a bit as he grew into the team’s undisputed No. 2 receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“Williams posted a below-league-average catch percentage of 63.7 percent in both 2024 and 2025. Plus, last season, that catch percentage ranked a lowly 134th out of 197 qualified receivers,” Chirco wrote. “Additionally, per Pro Football Reference, he recorded a league-worst 12 drops in 2025, plus the third-worst drop percentage among qualified receivers (11.8%). Undoubtedly, Williams can become an even more dynamic pass-catcher if he improves upon his catching ability.”
Williams had a slow start to his career, making just one reception in his rookie season as he rehabbed a torn ACL. He continued in a light role in his second season, making 24 receptions for 354 yards with two touchdowns. Williams then hit his stride, reaching 1,000 yards in each of the next two seasons as the Lions turned in one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
Chirco predicted that Williams would continue to grow this season, putting together a third consecutive year with more than 1,000 yards as he hit career highs in catches, yards, and touchdowns.
“If Williams can more consistently haul in Goff’s targets, it should lead to the most productive campaign of the fifth-year receiverâs career in 2026,” Chirco wrote. “At this present juncture, Iâm willing to predict that Williams finishes with 72 catches, 1,231 yards and eight touchdowns this upcoming season.”
The Lions showed faith in Williams despite some questions about his maturity — he was hit with two suspensions, one for gambling and another for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug rules — and handed the receiver a contract extension last year. The Lions locked down Williams on a three-year deal worth up to $83 million.
Lions Earn Another Big Prediction
Williams isn’t the only member of Detroit’s offense earning some praise ahead of the 2026 NFL season. CBS Sports ranked the league’s offensive triplets, with Detroit’s trio of Goff, St. Brown, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs coming in at No. 2 overall.
“It’s been a remarkable rise for the Lions, who started from near the bottom and are now here, ranked inside the top three,” the report noted. “Goff is an incredibly consistent quarterback who has improved in areas where he was once deficient. Gibbs is arguably the most explosive player in the NFL regardless of position. And St. Brown is, like Goff, a model of consistency who is always in the right place at the right time and seems to rack up catches with relative ease.”
The Lions will face a challenge as they aim to return to the playoffs after a downturn in 2025. The Lions fell to 9-8, watching the Chicago Bears take the division, but are looking to rebound in 2026.
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