Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams had scored all of 13 rushing touchdowns in his first five NFL seasons heading into the 2022 campaign.
While the former Green Bay Packers mid-round pick from BYU has been a pretty good professional no one could have anticipated what he’d be able to bring to the table heading into his second season in Detrout.
Williams, 27, headed into Thanksgiving’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills led the league with 12 rushing touchdowns. That included six scores over the previous four games.
The veteran running back was back up to his old tricks early on against Buffalo to open Week 12. That included opening the scoring with his league-leading 13th rushing touchdown of the season.
More than anything, fantasy football owners who rostered Williams have to be smiling from ear to ear after his latest touchdown.
Despite the presence of stud young running back D’Andre Swift, the latter continues to get short-yardage and goal-line touches. Given his success, we’re not expecting that to change any time soon.
Related: Detroit Lions standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL offense rankings
Jamaal Williams as an important component to the Detroit Lions offense
Detroit entered Thursday’s game against Buffalo in the midst of a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2010. It ranks eighth in the NFL in scoring and is in the midst of the NFC Playoff race heading into late-November.
Williams is one of the primary reasons for this. Primarily, Detroit boasts a top-five red-zone offense. His ability to make plays coupled with quarterback Jared Goff’s solid performance in the red zone have been two major components to this success.
- Jamaal Williams stats (2022): 686 rushing yards, 742 total yards, 13 TD
Having a dynamic duo of Williams and Swift helps take the pressure of Goff. With Detroit potentially set to see rookie first-round pick Jameson Williams make his debut at wide receiver, there’s a chance that this offense can head to new heights.