Washington’s receiver room is thin. Terry McLaurin and Jaylin Lane are both done for the season, Treylon Burks has not practiced this week and Dyami Brown was hurt in practice. Stefon Diggs will play, though, which leaves Antonio Williams as the No. 2 option in the passing game. He is coming off a seven-target game against Philadelphia. Find out whether you should start or sit Antonio Williams in Week 9.
Antonio Williams Start or Sit Advice for Week 9
There are still targets up for grabs. McLaurin’s 5.4 targets per game are already gone, and if Burks and Brown cannot play, another 6.0 per game come off the board. Williams is the natural candidate to absorb a share of that work.
His role was already trending up. His targets have climbed from three to four to seven over his last three games, and he caught five passes for 54 yards against the Eagles for a 10.4-point day. He holds 15.4% of Washington’s targets and 21.9% of its air yards, ahead of Diggs at 19.0%, so he is not just a short-area option.
The Rams’ secondary is also banged up. Cornerback Jaylen Watson is expected to miss the rest of the season, while cornerback Trent McDuffie and safety Kam Curl have not practiced this week.
The Biggest Fantasy Risk for Antonio Williams in Week 9
Los Angeles has been a tough draw for receivers. The Rams allow 26.0 PPR points per game to wide receivers against a league average of 31.3, along with just 112.0 receiving yards per game against a league mark of 146.6. Receivers are catching only 56.5% of their targets against them.
That figure comes with a big asterisk. The Rams have faced San Francisco, the Giants, Denver, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Arizona, Las Vegas and the Chargers, a group throwing 14% below league average against them, so their numbers are flattered by the schedule. They have also allowed eight receiving touchdowns, above the league average of 6.6.
Washington’s passing game is the bigger concern. The Commanders throw for 200.6 yards per game against a league average of 219.7, convert just 52.6% of their red zone trips and scored 10 points against the Eagles last week. Williams has also drawn just two red zone targets all season.
Diggs remains the top option. He has drawn 7.3 targets per game, 20.6% of the team’s targets and five red zone looks, and he has caught five touchdowns. Last week, with both active, Williams out-targeted him seven to six, but Diggs scored and Williams did not. With Diggs on the field, Williams is unlikely to see a big spike in volume, and the scoring chances still run through Diggs.
Fantasy Outlook for Antonio Williams in Week 9
Sit Williams in Week 9. His role is growing and the Rams’ injuries in the secondary help, but with Diggs back in the lineup, he is the second option in a limited passing game against a defense that has kept receivers in check.
In deeper PPR leagues, fantasy managers covering Steelers and Titans players on bye can consider him as a low-end FLEX, especially if Burks is ruled out. Everyone else should look elsewhere for their fantasy lineup.