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Few players are going to see a boost in their stock the same way Tyrell Williams is about to. The new Oakland Raiders wide receiver figured to be playing second fiddle to Antonio Brown this season, but that may change. Brown could be facing suspension for conduct detrimental to the team and now Adam Schefter is reporting that the team could even cut the star receiver loose without losing any money. While this is bad news for the Raiders, it could be good news for people that own Williams in fantasy football.
Williams has been playing second fiddle to Keenan Allen for many years now and he may finally get his chance to be a number one guy. He had an impressive training camp and had a lot of time to build rapport with Derek Carr. The loss of Brown would hurt, but Williams could fill in nicely whether the absence is permanent or short-term.
Tyrell Williams Fantasy Outlook: Matchup vs. Broncos
Unfortunately for Williams, he’s got a tough matchup against a stout Denver Broncos defense in week one. He only put up 45 receiving yards with no touchdowns in two games against Denver during 2018. However, he should be featured much more heavily in this Raiders offense than he was with the Chargers. If Brown was playing, Williams should probably sit this game out for you. The Broncos didn’t give up a lot of points to opposing wide receivers in 2018 and they should only be better with Vic Fangio as their coach.
ESPN is projecting him to put 9.2 points in PPR leagues, but they haven’t taken into account the potential Brown suspension. That projection should go up once they do.
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Should You Start or Sit Tyrell Williams in Week 1?
One big thing to note is that Williams has been nursing an injury for a couple of weeks. It doesn’t seem to be anything serious, so you shouldn’t factor that into your decision of whether or now you’d like to start him. With Brown out, Williams is a solid starting option against the Broncos. The Raiders offense hasn’t played particularly well against the Denver defense, but Williams will see a lot of targets.
Derek Carr is a good deep ball thrower and Williams is a good deep ball receiver. Two or three big plays from Williams will probably make him worth the start. There are still some risks involved considering a Brown suspension hasn’t been confirmed and the fact that the game is on Monday complicates matters. Depending on how big your league is, he should be a WR3 or in the FLEX. If you’re only alotted two receivers, you should study the matchups of some of your other wide receivers because they might be more favorable. If Brown’s absence lasts a while, Williams will be an excellent fantasy option for most games. It’s just that Denver isn’t a great matchup for any team.
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