Fantasy Impact: DeAngelo Williams

August 12, 2008 at 7:25 am | Article by Paul Hickey |

Fantasy Impact: DeAngelo Williams We love saying “I told you so.” After all, that’s the business we’re in, right? Helping you win your fantasy leagues. We should be able to say “I told you so” quite a bit. One point we have not waivered on - even when many have - is that DeAngelo Williams will be the starting and featured back for the Carolina Panthers in 2008. During preseason Week 1, he took a step towards the direction of making us look really good.

It has been really, really easy for several fantasy football websites and magazine publications to write the following phrase this off-season: “If Williams couldn’t beat out DeShaun Foster to get on the field, how can he beat out first round pick Jonathan Stewart?” This is absolute bunk and I want to puke every time I read it.

Statements like this do a complete disservice to fantasy football readers who deserve high quality analysis and predictions. Listen, if publications that were writing this actually knew what they were talking about with regards to this situation, they’d be mentioning the fact that it’s extremely tough for rookies to have an impact in the NFL, let alone fantasy football, and that some of the best NFL RBs did not start to really blossom and show their true colors until year three of their career. They’d also mention the fact that the Panthers’ offense was really broken the last two seasons, mainly due to inconsistent QB play and serious injuries at the WR and QB positions. They’ve had no real chance to gel over the past two seasons.

More importantly - Williams has looked good in every opportunity he’s had - he just hasn’t had that many of them.

As a rookie in 2006, he rushed 121 times for more than 500 yards - a 4.1 yards per carry average - while also hauling in 33 passes for 313 yards. That was in a split carry situation with Foster. In 2007, many fail to mention that Williams averaged a freaking whopping 5.0 yards per carry, rushing for 717 yards and scoring five TDs while only touching the rock 167 times. For you skeptics out there - in the seven games that he had 10 or more carries, he averaged 5.9 yards per carry. So you can’t sit there and say that the YPC was a fluke. The only determination that can be made here is simple - Williams needs to see the ball more.

And judging from the actions of Panthers head coach John Fox - NOT the assumptions of some blowhard fantasy writers - Williams will be getting the ball a lot more in 2008.

In his 2008 preseason debut, Williams rushed for 55 yards and two TDs on nine carries. His two TDs were both against the Colts starting defense, and one of them was an extremely impressive 10 yard run. The kid can score from outside the five yard line - which may take TD opportunities away from Stewart this season - as the rookie from Oregon is expected to be the team’s “goal line” back.

He may only be 5′9″, but he’s a thick, strong 5′9″, weighing in at 217 pounds - a Brian Westbrook type figure.

Look, with Stewart on the squad, Williams will always have to face skepticism from fantasy owners, but I’m here to tell you that the motivation Williams needs comes from Stewart’s presence. Stewart hasn’t done a darn thing as a pro yet except have toe surgery and sit out training camp. Until he starts playing and actually cutting into Williams’ game time, consider DeAngelo a solid RB3 in all formats, and Stewart a fantasy project. At the end of the season, we’re 100 percent confident we’ll be saying “we were right about” DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

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