Who Should I Start? Jameson Williams or Ricky Pearsall

Tuesday, May 13, 3:06 PM

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams notched his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2024, snagging 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games. The former No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft looked to be headed toward a "bust" label after his first two seasons in the league, but his production last year was promising, and new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton expects a "huge" season from the speedster in 2025. While Williams is likely to continue to be a boom-or-bust player in a crowded offense, he has reportedly been great in meetings and has picked up his attention to detail. The 24-year-old finished as the overall WR19 in half-PPR formats a season ago and delivered seven top-24 weekly finishes. According to ESPN, he is being selected as the WR32 in early fantasy football drafts, so he could be a tremendous value pick if Morton's forecast comes to fruition.

Sunday, January 5, 10:47 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall followed last week's breakout game with another strong showing in Sunday's 47-24 Week 18 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Arizona native caught six of eight targets for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown grab on a contested slant pattern from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Pearsall, who started his 49ers career on a terrifying note -- being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt -- had an up-and-down year once he debuted in Week 7. Pearsall produced four fantasy-useful performances in 2024 but seven in which he was held below six half-PPR points. With momentum and the validation of his first-round pedigree this season, Pearsall could be an intriguing late-round fantasy pick in 2025 depending on the health of Brandon Aiyuk's knee, and if Pearsall can move past Jauan Jennings and/or Deebo Samuel Sr. in the 49ers' hierarchy.