Jamaal Williams Fantasy Outlook Soaring After D'Andre Swift Injury Update

It looks like Jamaal Williams is set up for another productive fantasy outing.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Thursday that running back D'Andre Swift (shoulder) is unlikely to suit up for the Detroit Lions during their Week 5 road contest at the New England Patriots, putting Williams in line for another heavy workload.

Jamaal Williams Fantasy Outlook

Swift's injury status is great news for Williams' fantasy managers, as the latter is expected to lead Detroit's backfield for the second week in a row. Williams blew up last week in Swift's absence, rushing for a season-high 108 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks.

Williams has now scored multiple touchdowns in three of his four games this season and has seen his rushing yards total increase every week. While he hasn't absorbed Swift's receiving duties, he's emerged as the team's top runner with 39 carries in his last two games combined.

Given his volume and success in goal-line situations with an NFL-leading 6 touchdowns, Williams projects as a solid RB2 this week as the RB18 on The Duel's Week 5 PPR rankings. He also has a juicy matchup against a struggling Patriots run defense that's allowed the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL.

D'Andre Swift Fantasy Outlook

While Swift's injury news doesn't bode well for his fantasy managers this week, at least they still have several days to prepare for his absence and consider alternatives on the bench or waiver wire.

It's also encouraging that he's expected to return in Week 7 after the team's Week 6 bye, which means fantasy GMs won't be without the star running back for much longer. A shoulder injury won't affect his speed or cutting ability, either, which is why he still projects as the RB10 on The Duel's rest-of-season PPR rankings.

Swift should be able to come back healthy and rested from the bye and ready to pick up where he left off. He was the most efficient runner in the league before going down, averaging an NFL-high 8.6 yards per carry while racking up 308 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns in three games.

While not having Swift available this week is frustrating, look for him to reward his fantasy managers' patience when he returns.

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