NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL RESOURCES

2006 Player Profile: WR - Roy Williams

June 26, 2006

Year	Team	Gms	Plays	Targets	Catch	Catch Yards	YPC	Catch TDs	Rush #	Rush Yards	Rush TDs	100 Yard Gms	1 TD Gms
2003	DNP
2004	DET	14	120	119	54	817	15.1	8				2	5
2005	DET	12	92	92	45	687	15.3	8				2	6
	AVG	13	106	106	50	752	15.2	8				2	6

Age: 25 Years Played: 2 Height: 6'2" Weight: 212

Background: Roy Eugene Williams Jr. hails from one of America’s cradles of high school football, Odessa, Texas and starred at Permian High School, immortalized by the best-selling book, Friday Night Lights (Williams older brother, Lloyd Hill played on the team the story is based on and Roy himself made his acting debut in the movie version of the story starring Billy Bob Thornton, as an assistant coach for Permian’s arch rival, Midland Lee, earning his SAG card with a single spoken line “He ain’t going to play, Coach”). Williams earned the nickname, “The Legend” for his exploits in football, basketball and track at Permian, setting 20 school records, being named All-State in both his junior and senior years and finishing with career totals of 100 receptions for 2,364 yards and 30 touchdowns. As a junior he caught 49 passes for 1,521 yards for an astounding 31.0 yards per reception. In track, he single-handedly led the Panthers to a fourth place finish at the 2000 Texas 5A state track meet after winning the long jump with a state record leap of 25-6, placing second in the high jump (6-10) and finished third in the 100 meters (10.48) to score all of Permian’s 24 team points at the meet. A three time, first team All-District performer in basketball, Williams was also a member of the AB Honor Roll all four years of high school. Williams has shared his long term goal of returning to his beloved high school alma mater of Odessa Permian in the hopes of becoming the first African-American head coach of the team.

Williams accepted a scholarship to the University of Texas and made an immediate impact in his freshman year, grabbing 40 passes for 809 yards and eight touchdowns, earning him All Big 12 honors (a feat he would repeat for each of his four collegiate seasons) and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. Surprising most prognosticator’s by returning for his senior year, Williams would finish a spectacular Longhorn career filled with big plays and highlight reel catches by shattering school career records for receptions (241), receiving touchdowns (36) and receiving yards (3,866) while becoming the only player in University of Texas history to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season twice in his career.

After previously spending their first pick (No.2 overall) on WR Charles Rogers in the 2003 Draft, the Detroit Lions couldn’t pass up on the 6-2, 212 pound play-maker with the 4.37 forty time and pounced on the former Permian Panther with the seventh overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft. With Rogers going down for the season on the third play of 2004, the drafting of Williams made even more sense as the Legend showed poise beyond his years, stepping up to lead Detroit’s receivers with 54 catches for 817 yards and eight touchdowns, setting Lions rookie records for all three categories, despite being limited by a painful high ankle sprain and the erratic quarterbacking of Joey Harrington.

Injuries, including a slow-healing quadriceps issue, and continued poor play from his quarterback hampered the talented Williams once again, keeping him to 45 receptions for 487 yards (15.3 avg.) and a respectable eight touchdowns.

What’s new for 2006: Out of all the wide receiver high draft picks the Lions have made in the last three years (Rogers in 2003, Roy Williams in 2004, Mike Williams in 2005), the third year wide out from Texas stands to benefit the most from coaching overhaul that took place this past off season, starting with new head coach Rod Marinelli and former Rams head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Martz. While Charles Rogers is in the midst of fighting to stay on the Lions roster, it will be Roy Williams who will inherit the Torry Holt role in Martz’s Motown offense based on his overall talent and superior NFL production to this point. If the Lions can find marginal QB improvement from one of their 2006 imports, Jon Kitna or Josh McCown, or from second year signal-caller Dan Orlovski, Williams will stand a very good chance to finally cross the 10 touchdown-1,000 receiving yard threshold this season.

2005

2004

2003

Wk	Opp	Tar	C#	CYD	CTD
1	GB	10	2	13
2	@CHI	11	5	96	1
4	@TB	6	3	54
5	BAL	3	2	24
6	CAR
7	@CLE
8	CHI
9	@MIN
10	ARI	9	7	117	3
11	@DAL	10	5	72
12	ATL	5	3	55	1
13	MIN	9	4	34
14	@GB	7	4	53	1
15	CIN	7	3	27	1
16	@NO	9	4	111
17	@PIT	6	3	31	1

Wk	Opp	Tar	C#	CYD	CTD
1	@CHI	7	4	69
2	HOU	6	4	73	2
3	PHI	16	9	135	2
5	@ATL	5	3	18
6	GB
7	@NYG	6	4	67	1
8	@DAL
9	WAS	15	3	33
10	@JAX	9	2	64
11	@MIN	4	2	19
12	IND	8	4	51
13	ARI	9	4	76
14	@GB	7	1	13
15	MIN	9	7	104	2
16	CHI	10	3	33
17	CHI	8	4	62	1

Wk	Opp	R#	RY	RT	C#	CY	CT
DNP

Recent Priority News

08/31/10

Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams (back, hip) was held out of practice Tuesday, Aug. 31, because of a lower back strain and a hip flexor that bothered him during the team's preseason game Saturday, Aug. 28, according to DallasCowboys.com's Nick Eatman. The team said Williams was held out as a precaution. He likely will not play in the final preseason game.

Huddle Up: Strains and flexors are nothing new to Roy Williams. A few days of rest should get him back on the practice field next week before the opener.

05/21/10

The Dallas Cowboys would like WR Roy Williams to play a little lower, reports David Moore, of The Dallas Morning News. Wide receivers coach Ray Sherman said, "We're working on synching his hips, bending his knees a little more, getting down in some of his routes. We felt last year he might be a little high. We want him to play a little lower."

Huddle Up: Specifically, the Cowboys would like Williams to lower his hands, at least to the point where they're actually in contact with the ball when it's thrown to him.

05/18/10

Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams said he has told rookie WR Dez Bryant to call him if he needed anything as he adapts to the pro level, according to Calvin Watkins, of ESPNDallas.com. 'If you need anything come see me,' Williams said he told Bryant. 'I know when I came in the league I didn't have a veteran guy to show me the ropes. That's why I was looking forward to T.O. I was with him for 10 games. I told (Bryant) I'm in year seven, I remember when I was a rookie, (my) eyes (got) big and I was putting a show in practice. It's nothing against him by no means.'

Huddle Up: Williams has been somewhat of a disappointment since arriving in Dallas but could be in line for a rebound season in 2010. There is no limit to his athletic ability and football skills which could be a huge part in developing rookie Dez Bryant to the NFL game. Bryant could be the complement that Dallas has been looking for to play opposite Miles Austin which could end up hurting Roy Williams stock with the team in the near future.

05/17/10

Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams said he has been lifting more weight this offseason than last, reports Todd Archer, of The Dallas Morning News. Although he was listed at 215 pounds last year, Williams said he was around the 209-211 range. "I've gotten a lot stronger and I think that within itself is going to take my game to another level," Williams said. Williams thought he was not strong enough at that weight last year and he would like to play at 215 pounds this upcoming season. "I think if I'm my normal 215 and powerful, I think I'll be fine," Williams said.

Huddle Up: It wasn't a lack of size or strength that caused problems for Williams last year, other than the apparent lack of strength in his grip when attempting to catch the football. And the Cowboys seem pretty well set with bigger, slower targets in tight ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. If Roy is looking to contend with Dez Bryant for playing time, bigger might not necessarily be better unless it helps him get separation and run crisper routes. Though if he's punctual he should have a leg up on Bryant...

04/23/10

Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams is likely to take on a lesser role now that the team drafted Dez Bryant in the first round, according to Jaime Aron, of The Associated Press. Dallas owner Jerry Jones said the pick was more related to what Bryant is than what Williams isn't.

Huddle Up: Williams has done nothing in Dallas to warrant either his contract or additional attention from Tony Romo. So while Jones is correct in that the pick was more about Bryant—and exorcising Jones' memories of passing on another "high risk" receiver, Randy Moss—than it was about Williams, the fact that Williams will lose playing time to Bryant is certainly a by-product of the selection.

03/01/10

Updating a previous item, Tim MacMahon, of ESPNDallas.com, reports Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams' starting job appears to be secure for the 2010 season. Head coach Wade Phillips had previously said that Williams would have to compete for the starting job along with WRs Kevin Ogletree and Patrick Crayton. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Sunday, Feb. 28, he could not envision a scenario in which a healthy Williams does not start for the Cowboys next season. "A big no," Jones said. "I think you could look for him to have the kind of year we expected him to have last year. I'm optimistic about Roy Williams. We've got to do some things to help Roy, to help his game. We've got to do some things with the way we get him the ball to enhance his game. We're going to do that."

Huddle Up: Jones needs to justify the multiple draft picks and ginormous salary he paid for Williams, so of course he'll start. That's just better news for Miles Austin and Jason Witten, Tony Romo's more trusted targets.