One of the biggest question marks on offense for the Detroit Lions this season has been the performance of wide receiver Jameson Williams. The 24-year-old veteran hasn’t had much of an impact in the passing game through seven contests, which is surprising given how productive he was in 2024.

Last season, Williams recorded 58 catches (on 91 targets) for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns. He also averaged 8.6 yards after the catch and 17.3 yards per reception. Fast forward to this year, and the former first-rounder has just 17 catches (30 targets) for 289 yards and two touchdowns.

If the Lions want to reach their offensive ceiling this season, they must find a way to get Williams more involved in the aerial attack. Detroit’s coaching staff appears to recognize that, telling reporters Tuesday they need to put him in better positions to succeed.

“There’s no middle ground — only a ceiling. We have to get to that ceiling,” wide receivers coach and assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery said, via Kory Woods of MLive.com.

Montgomery also added, via Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News, “We have to reach the point where we’re not discussing potential anymore, but production — and we’ll get there.”

Detroit’s Coaches Putting Pressure on Themselves to Unlock Williams

For Lions fans, Montgomery’s comments are encouraging and should resonate with head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator John Morton. Unlike Amon-Ra St. Brown, who thrives on volume, Williams doesn’t require a ton of targets to make an impact. With his elite speed, all quarterback Jared Goff needs to do is hit him in stride when he breaks free.

When Williams has received consistent targets, the results have been strong. In Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he caught six of seven passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Many fans thought that outing was the start of a breakout, but it didn’t carry over. The following week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams was targeted twice and failed to record a single catch or yard.

Earlier in October, coaches praised Williams’ selflessness and commitment as a blocker — something that’s helped the Lions’ run game thrive. However, Detroit didn’t invest in Williams for his blocking ability; they drafted him to be a dynamic, field-stretching playmaker in the passing game.

Coming out of the bye, it’s critical for the Lions to get Williams involved early against the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota’s defense has struggled recently, particularly in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles, when two wide receivers eclipsed 100 yards.

Sunday’s matchup presents an ideal opportunity for Detroit to get the ball into Williams’ hands and silence any remaining doubts from fans about his role in the offense.