It was surprising when the Chargers selected Mike Williams at No. 7 overall. Wide receiver seemed to be a position they were in good shape at, with Keenan Allen returning from injury and Tyrell Williams posting a breakout season. And now it looks even less likely that the rookie will be able to steal any production away from the returning wideouts.
Williams is recovering from a back injury, and on Wednesday came a report saying he might need surgery, which would cost him the entire season. That report may have been premature, but he's going to start training camp on the PUP list and is certainly no lock to play in the preseason. It's hard enough for rookie wide receivers to make an impact without having a back injury slowing their development. I wouldn't use a last-round pick on Williams at this point.
But Mike Williams' absence should be Tyrell Williams' gain. Considering Allen's injury history, Tyrell looks like the safer pick -- available later in most if not every draft, but perhaps just as likely to lead the team in receiving.
Williams is just a former undrafted free agent, but he looks to be undervalued. A year ago he led the team in both receptions (69) and yards (1,059) and was only one off the team lead in touchdowns (7). He was also more of a big-play receiver than you might expect. Among wideouts with at least 50 receptions, Williams ranked 7th in yards per catch a year ago (15.3). Most of the guys ahead of him are well-known for their big-play ability: DeSean Jackson, T.Y. Hilton, Julio Jones.
Only Jones and Hilton of that group had more receptions and yards than Williams, and only Dez Bryant had more touchdowns. Only five receivers had more 20-yard receptions than Williams, as well (and an impressive grouping: Jones, Hilton, Antonio Brown, Amari Cooper and Odell Beckham Jr.).
| WIDE RECEIVERS YPC (50+ RECEPTIONS), 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | 20+ |
| DeSean Jackson, Wash. | 56 | 1005 | 17.9 | 4 | 19 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 83 | 1409 | 17.0 | 6 | 27 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 55 | 930 | 16.9 | 4 | 16 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 91 | 1448 | 15.9 | 6 | 28 |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 50 | 796 | 15.9 | 8 | 10 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 52 | 821 | 15.8 | 2 | 12 |
| Tyrell Williams, S.D. | 69 | 1059 | 15.3 | 7 | 19 |
| Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 78 | 1173 | 15.0 | 8 | 15 |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 63 | 941 | 14.9 | 7 | 10 |
| Quincy Enunwa, NYJ | 58 | 857 | 14.8 | 4 | 14 |
| Kenny Britt, L.A. | 68 | 1002 | 14.7 | 5 | 15 |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 66 | 964 | 14.6 | 4 | 15 |
| Rishard Matthews, Tenn. | 65 | 945 | 14.5 | 9 | 16 |
| Mike Wallace, Balt. | 72 | 1017 | 14.1 | 4 | 10 |
| Adam Thielen, Minn. | 69 | 967 | 14.0 | 5 | 16 |
| Dontrelle Inman, S.D. | 58 | 810 | 14.0 | 4 | 10 |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 83 | 1153 | 13.9 | 5 | 21 |
| Ted Ginn, Car. | 54 | 752 | 13.9 | 4 | 9 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 96 | 1321 | 13.8 | 12 | 15 |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 101 | 1367 | 13.5 | 10 | 20 |
| Cameron Meredith, Chi. | 66 | 888 | 13.5 | 4 | 13 |
| Brandon LaFell, Cin. | 64 | 862 | 13.5 | 6 | 11 |
| Marqise Lee, Jac. | 63 | 851 | 13.5 | 3 | 13 |
| Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 59 | 788 | 13.4 | 3 | 10 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 75 | 997 | 13.3 | 12 | 17 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 56 | 744 | 13.3 | 4 | 9 |
| Pierre Garcon, Wash. | 79 | 1041 | 13.2 | 3 | 15 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 79 | 1032 | 13.1 | 5 | 12 |
| Terrelle Pryor, Clev. | 77 | 1007 | 13.1 | 4 | 11 |
| Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 97 | 1257 | 13.0 | 14 | 19 |
| Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 67 | 847 | 12.6 | 7 | 11 |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 92 | 1137 | 12.4 | 9 | 18 |
| Willie Snead, N.O. | 72 | 895 | 12.4 | 4 | 12 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 78 | 954 | 12.2 | 4 | 10 |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 106 | 1284 | 12.1 | 12 | 22 |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 94 | 1136 | 12.1 | 4 | 16 |
| Allen Robinson, Jac. | 73 | 883 | 12.1 | 6 | 11 |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 94 | 1128 | 12.0 | 7 | 16 |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 90 | 1083 | 12.0 | 5 | 10 |
| Robert Woods, Buff. | 51 | 613 | 12.0 | 1 | 10 |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 91 | 1077 | 11.8 | 4 | 13 |
| Steve Smith, Balt. | 70 | 799 | 11.4 | 5 | 12 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 98 | 1106 | 11.3 | 3 | 11 |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 89 | 1003 | 11.3 | 8 | 10 |
| Adam Humphries, T.B. | 55 | 622 | 11.3 | 2 | 7 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 54 | 603 | 11.2 | 1 | 9 |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 75 | 833 | 11.1 | 5 | 6 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 59 | 653 | 11.1 | 4 | 6 |
| Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 73 | 804 | 11.0 | 3 | 13 |
| Stefon Diggs, Minn. | 84 | 903 | 10.8 | 3 | 10 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 65 | 683 | 10.5 | 8 | 6 |
| Jeremy Kerley, S.F. | 64 | 667 | 10.4 | 3 | 8 |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 60 | 610 | 10.2 | 4 | 7 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 61 | 593 | 9.7 | 6 | 8 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 107 | 1023 | 9.6 | 6 | 8 |
| Tavon Austin, L.A. | 58 | 509 | 8.8 | 3 | 6 |
| Anquan Boldin, Det. | 67 | 584 | 8.7 | 8 | 5 |
| Cordarrelle Patterson, Minn. | 52 | 453 | 8.7 | 2 | 4 |
--Andy Richardson