Jameson Williams or Tucker Kraft: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Williams' concentrated Detroit role narrowly beats Kraft's steadier tight-end volume

Williams gets the nod because his WR2 role is more valuable in a Detroit offense expected to score, with little proven receiver depth behind him (Sports Illustrated (Lions On SI) 2026-09-06). Kraft has the stronger volume counter: his TE1 usage and seam role make him a credible alternative in a close game. The 0.26-point edge is razor-thin, not a talent gulf; Williams' risk is that missed deep shots leave his production dependent on a few explosive plays, while Kraft is returning from injury.

What flips it: A late addition to Detroit's receiver room that cuts Williams' every-down route share.

Sources: Sports Illustrated (Lions On SI) · Sep 6, 2026

AI editor

In standard scoring this is a coin flip.

Jameson Williams

Jameson Williams

WR24DETvs NO

Projected Points

Start· medium
Tucker Kraft

Tucker Kraft

TE12GBvs MIN

Projected Points

Start· medium
NO@
DETSun, Sep 13, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
GB@
MINSun, Sep 13, 4:25 PM ETView the game →

Why Jameson Williams

Start· medium

WR2 and primary vertical threat. Elite straight-line speed stretching the field on deep shots and jet motion.

WR24 with a 90% snap share and 19% target share in a Lions offense implied for 27.8 — the concentrated target tree behind St. Brown makes him a clear flex-plus start.

  • Detroit's lack of established receiver depth supports Williams keeping an every-down route role.
  • His vertical game can turn a concentrated target tree into a quick weekly ceiling.

The call

  • A 27.8 implied team total as a 7-point favorite gives Detroit one of the week's better offensive environments, and Williams is locked into a 90% snap share as the WR-2.
  • 19% target share on that volume is real WR3/flex usage, and the sheet's 12.1 PPR projection at WR24 clears any replacement-level bench option in a 12-team league.
  • Sports Illustrated (2026-09-06) notes Williams and St. Brown are the Lions' only proven receivers, which concentrates the passing game rather than diluting it.
  • Risk is the shape of the game: a 7-point favorite that gets ahead early can lean run, and Williams' boom-bust deep profile means the floor is thinner than the projection suggests.

Latest on Williams

Role

Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown are the Lions' only proven receivers, with little established ability behind them on a depth chart the team may still add to.

Sports Illustrated (Lions On SI) · Sep 6, 2026

Why Tucker Kraft

Start· medium

TE1 and primary seam threat. Physical yards-after-catch producer and capable in-line blocker; returning from injury.

86% snap share and a 20% target share make Kraft a locked-in volume TE; TE12 at 9.0 projected clears the 12-team bar in a one-score game.

  • Kraft's TE1 role offers a steadier short-area path than Williams' deep-threat profile.
  • His in-line versatility keeps him involved even when Green Bay's passing game stalls.

The call

  • Role is as locked in as it gets at the position: 86% snap share and a 20% target share over eight games — that's not a rotational tight end, that's a primary passing-game option.
  • No injury designation, so the workload projects forward cleanly rather than being capped by a questionable tag.
  • Consensus TE12 at 9.0 projected PPR points is right at the starter line, and target-share-driven TEs are the safer half of that tier in PPR.
  • Risk is the game environment: a 23.0 implied team total and a -1.5 spread mean a tight, moderate-scoring script, so the ceiling depends on red-zone looks rather than volume alone.

Head-to-head stats

MetricJameson WilliamsTucker Kraft
Projected points
Consensus rankWR24TE12
Opponent vs positionNOno ranking yetMINno ranking yet
Target share19%(2025)20%(2025)
Reception share17%(2025)21%(2025)
Implied total · spread27.8-7.023.0-1.5
Depth chartWR2TE1
Snap share90%(2025)86%(2025)

Signal breakdown

  • 12.1 vs 9.0 projected PPR pointsJameson Williams +
  • Rank 24 vs 12Tucker Kraft +
  • Matchup (DvP composite)even
  • Implied 27.8 vs 23.0 team pointsJameson Williams +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 90% vs 86% snap shareJameson Williams +

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