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Fantasy Football ADP Analysis: Preston Williams

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Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State, Preston Williams made a splash at the beginning of his rookie season by hauling in 32 catches for 428 yards and three touchdowns in eight games. Unfortunately, his first year in the NFL was cut short after he tore his ACL midway through the season. Should fantasy football managers roll the dice and draft Williams despite concerns over his surgically repaired knee? That’s what Sports Illustrated asked AllDolphins editor Alain Poupart and fantasy analyst Frank Taddeo in the attached video.

Preston Williams

Read the transcript from their conversation:

Bill Enright: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Preston Williams was off to a fantastic start in his first year in the NFL, but then the rookie suffered a season-ending injury. Which opened the door for DeVante Parker to have his best season as a pro. But now that we're heading into 2020, what do we do with Preston Williams when it comes to drafting him in fantasy football? Let's bring on the experts. I go to AllDolphins editor Alain Poupart and fantasy analyst Frank Taddeo. Alan, I'm going to start with you. Where do you see Williams fitting in with the Dolphins, considering that he'll be healthy and DeVante Parker s coming off a career year?

Alain Poupart: Yeah, that's a good question, that the big issue is going to be what kind of physical condition Williams has because he tore his ACL on the first Sunday, November of last year. Ironically, during a game against the New York Jets, when he had his first two-touchdown game of his NFL career, it was the first one of the season for the Dolphins. And Williams obviously was a big part of that. Now we're looking we're about seven months after the fact. There has been no offseason per se or no minicamps because of the coronavirus. So we haven't had a chance to see what it looks like. I spoke to him at the Super Bowl, which was down here in Miami, and he told me everything was going according to schedule. That was in February. By all accounts, it's still on schedule, but it is a very serious injury and the question is, what kind of shape is he going to be in and how quickly can he get back to his form of 2019 when, as you mentioned, he was really, really good, Actually, he may have been the Dolphins best receiver in that first half of that season. Then when he left the lineup, that's when DeVante Parker really blew up and wound up having a phenomenal year.

Bill Enright: Frank, let me go over to you from a fantasy football perspective right now, Williams is being drafted as the fifty-fifth wide receiver and a hundred and twenty-ninth player coming off fantasy football draft boards. Are you investing a late-round flier, late-round pick on Preston Williams?

Frank Taddeo: For sure, Bill. I definitely believe so, and I think you highlighted the most important part of that, which is the fact that obviously Devante Parker, he's going to be the player for the Miami Dolphins that's going to have the higher ADP. Therefore, the better value is clearly going to be fall upon Williams. I mean, obviously, as we just touched, obviously it all comes back to his health and how well he can recover and how quickly you can recover from that ACL injury that he sustained last season. But overall, Bill, I believe that this that Williams has a high ceiling and I believe he is has an even higher ceiling for that ADP. I think that only as drafts get closer in August, we're going to see that number and his overall average rep position. I think we're going to see it only continue to rise. He's definitely a player for everyone to target, especially at this value.

Bill Enright: Alain and Frank, thank you guys for your insight. We are plenty more fantasy football news, strategy, and advice. You can find it by going to SI.com/fantasy