Antonio Williams was not the Washington receiver anyone was talking about heading into the opener, and he walked out of it with more receiving yards than Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin combined. Four targets, four catches, 64 yards and a touchdown is a quietly perfect afternoon for a rookie slot receiver, and now he gets a division trip to Dallas against a defense that has already been carved up through the air. Find out whether you should start or sit Antonio Williams in Week 2.
Antonio Williams Start or Sit Advice for Week 2
Efficiency was the calling card. Williams caught everything Jayden Daniels sent his way, tied McLaurin for second on the team at a 13.8 percent target share, and drew two red zone looks. That is real trust from a quarterback in a rookie’s first professional game, and it fits the route running and reliable hands that made him a candidate to matter early. He also generated 55 air yards on those four targets, so this was not a screen-heavy stat line inflated by one broken tackle.
Dallas is the kind of draw that turns a supporting role into a startable one. The Cowboys surrendered 230 receiving yards, three touchdowns, six red zone targets and a 134.2 passer rating in their opener while allowing four red zone trips to convert every time. They failed to record a sack, so the pass rush is not bailing out the coverage either. Safety Malik Hooker is doubtful with a fractured forearm and likely out multiple weeks, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is expected to miss one to two weeks with a hamstring, which thins out exactly the part of the defense that patrols the middle of the field where Williams operates.
There is also opportunity opening in front of him, as tight end Chig Okonkwo is dealing with a hamstring issue. Daniels distributed 34 pass attempts in Week 1 and converted all three of its red zone trips, so this is an offense finishing drives even while its QB works through a modest 85.9 passer rating.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Antonio Williams in Week 2
Four targets is a thin foundation. Williams turned that into 16.4 PPR points because he caught all of them and one went for a score, and neither of those things is a repeatable weekly assumption. Diggs commanded a 31 percent share and is clearly Daniels’ first read, McLaurin remains ahead of him in the pecking order by reputation if not production, and Washington handed the ball off 32 times against those 34 pass attempts. This is a balanced attack with three receivers who all need feeding, and a rookie without long speed can go an entire afternoon without a play that changes his box score.
Fantasy Outlook for Antonio Williams in Week 2
Williams is a Start in Week 2. A defense giving up production in the red zone and down the field, two Dallas defenders in the middle of the field either doubtful or expected out, a tight end sidelined ahead of him and a rookie who has already earned red zone looks make him a legitimate WR3 play. Understand that you are buying into a smaller role than the surrounding names carry, so if you need a guaranteed volume floor at receiver this week, look elsewhere. If you can absorb the variance, this is a matchup worth attacking.