Author: Yahoo Sports

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

If you’re looking for contenders who could break through another glass ceiling in fantasy football this coming season, Jameson Williams’ name is likely floating around your draft board. But does the buzz match the reality for 2025? To answer that, let’s turn to the keen insights from Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski on the latest edition of the "Yahoo Fantasy Forecast," where they dove into Williams’ outlook with the kind of nuance and reality check this wideout deserves.

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Matt and Scott wasted no time calling out a key fantasy football narrative — the idea that Williams "might break out" in 2025 is already a little backward. In Harmon’s words:

“They’re talking about [Williams] again this year like they were last year ... People are being like, ‘Oh, yeah, they’re hyping up Jameson Williams for a breakout year.’ He had a breakout year last year. What are we talking about?"

That’s the crux of it: While many fantasy players and analysts are looking for Williams’ leap this season, Harmon’s view is that the leap already happened in 2024. After a slow start to his NFL career, Williams’ growth last season was more than just flashes — he became a genuine threat in Detroit’s offense.

That said, both Harmon and Pianowski do agree Williams is “a maddening player” — not because he’s unreliable, but because his multi-layered skill set gives Detroit so many options. He can “take the top off the defense” but also house any short throw. That level of weaponry means opposing defenses have to account for him at all times, as Pianowski said:

“He could also catch any pass behind the line of scrimmage or any short little dig and take it to the house ... Just to have a guy like that, it changes how teams have to defend you because they’re just petrified of him all the time.”

The Lions are clearly aware of this. They’ve been vocal about Williams again this offseason, not as a hope-for breakout, but as a key piece they need playing at his best. It’s about keeping him “engaged,” as Harmon put it.

One of the overlooked angles from the Forecast’s discussion was a potential shift in the Lions’ playing style in 2025. Frank Ragnow’s retirement signals trouble for their previously dominant O-line, meaning Detroit might need to pass more simply to move the ball as efficiently as before.

Translation? More volume for Detroit’s pass-catchers, and that includes Williams.

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Williams isn’t just a deep threat or a boom-bust flex. He’s morphing into a true every-week piece, especially with the likely changes to Detroit’s offense after the departure of their All-Pro center.

So, if you’re looking for upside, don’t think of Williams as a guy with more to prove. He’s already proved it — now, he’s stepping into a bigger opportunity with a potentially higher target floor and established big-play upside. That’s a compelling package for a receiver currently being drafted as WR24.

Draft him for what he is, not what you hope he’ll become — because Williams is already living his breakout. The 2025 season might just be where the rest of the world catches up.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

If you're a fantasy football manager searching for some upside excitement in 2025, Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders are impossible to ignore. On the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski dived into potential “carnival offenses” for next season — teams with explosive, bankable playmakers and questionable defenses that force their QBs into shootout scenarios every week. In that landscape, Daniels’ fantasy profile has never looked brighter.

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Both Harmon and Pianowski are bullish on the Commanders’ ability to rack up points. As Matt says, Washington’s offense is “too big to fail” — a top-five or top-six unit is well within reach, especially given the creative influence of OC Kliff Kingsbury and the arrival of Daniels’ dual-threat abilities.

Daniels’ rookie campaign in 2024 already teased fantasy stardom thanks to his dynamic rushing — Pianowski even predicted Daniels could run for 1,000 yards. For fantasy, that’s a solid floor, especially when you consider how well Kingsbury managed to scheme up success for him late last season.

While Harmon wishes they’d added one more pass catcher alongside Terry McLaurin (who is entering his age-30 season) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (age-29, with many miles already run), he’s still buying the overall Washington package thanks to Daniels’ talent. The backfield could use another playmaker, but the existing setup — combined with Daniels’ rushing upside — still projects a ton of weekly fantasy value.

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There's some question about the pass-catcher depth for Daniels, but with Kingsbury’s ability to manufacture offense and a narrow concentration of targets, the Commanders should keep finding the end zone. Pianowski remarked, “They're going to try to outscore everybody ... there are going to be a lot of 30-27 games. Or they're going to be 40-37. I don’t know. But there’s going to be a lot of fun in D.C.”

What makes Daniels especially appealing for fantasy isn’t just the offensive weapons or scheme — it’s the Washington defense. Both Harmon and Pianowski agree the Commanders’ defense doesn’t offer much resistance. Harmon notes there’s “not nearly enough juice up front from a pass-rushing standpoint” and “the secondary is questionable.” In other words, shootouts and high-volume scenarios will be the norm.

This is exactly what you want for a fantasy QB: forced volume, plenty of chances to rack up both passing and rushing stats and consistent comeback or high-scoring game scripts.

While there’s plenty to love, both analysts wish the Commanders had added another playmaking receiver or running back to boost the ceiling further. They also note that while continuity at quarterback and coordinator helps, the receiver group’s age and durability raise some long-term questions. Still, this doesn’t really threaten Daniels’ weekly upside in 2025.

Based on Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski’s discussion, Jayden Daniels is shaping up as a premier fantasy asset for 2025. He offers elite weekly upside, a packed schedule of shootouts and clear trust from his play-callers. If you’re looking for a quarterback who can vault into the very top tiers, especially outside of the Allen/Jackson tier, Jayden Daniels should absolutely be on your shortlist.

If you want fun, volume and fantasy gold at quarterback for 2025, target Jayden Daniels and enjoy the ride. Just be ready for the fireworks (and keep one eye on that Washington defense, praying it stays as leaky as ever).