Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Jameson Williams

Friday, May 2, 12:02 PM

Carolina Panthers veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he talked with his family, and they wanted him to play in 2025. He plans to go through a similar process after this season, which is the final year of his contract. Depending on how the 34-year-old feels and what his family thinks after the 2025 campaign, Thielen could hang up his cleats and retire. He's returning for a third season in Carolina after playing in a career-low 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. In those 10 games, he caught 48 of his 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns. He should continue to be a trusted weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young out of the slot this year, but the addition of first-round rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan will surely make Thielen harder to trust as a WR3/flex in fantasy based on volume alone like he was in 2023, when he recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career on 103 targets.

Thursday, July 10, 8:50 PM

The Athletic's Colton Pouncy writes that Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has paused when discussing wide receiver Jameson Williams' future with the team, even though coaches have raved about him this offseason following a breakout 2024 campaign in which he caught 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season. Pouncy adds that the Lions might not be able to afford Williams in the long run if he continues on his current trajectory. The 24-year-old former 12th overall pick in 2022 out of Ohio State is under contract through the 2026 season. If the Lions cannot get close to an extension with him before the start of next season, he could become a trade candidate. The volume is unlikely to be there for Williams in 2025, but he can still be an explosive WR2/3 in fantasy, especially if the Lions emphasize the deep passing game more under new coordinator John Morton.