So Tyrell Williams has a torn labrum. He says he'll try to play through it, which is maybe good news for the Raiders (at least they'll get something out of him?) but probably makes him hands off in fantasy leagues. Williams tried to play through injury a year ago, and results weren't good.
In the first four games of last season, Williams was healthy and averaged 4 catches for 54 yards, with a touchdown per game. Then he missed two games with a foot injury, and tried to play through it the last 10 games. In those 10 games, he averaged 2.5 catches for 43 yards, and scored only twice.
The healthy Williams was a top-12 wideout (PPR scoring) on a per-game basis. Injured Williams barely snuck into the top 75 (among wideouts who started at least half the season last year).
| WRS PER GAME, 2019, TYRELL WILLIAMS VERSION | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Yds | TD | PPR |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 16 | 9.3 | 107.8 | .56 | 23.5 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 14 | 6.1 | 95.2 | .67 | 19.7 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 15 | 6.6 | 92.9 | .40 | 18.3 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 15 | 6.9 | 77.7 | .53 | 17.9 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 13 | 5.2 | 89.0 | .64 | 17.9 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 12 | 6.9 | 83.1 | .44 | 17.9 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 16 | 5.9 | 72.6 | .63 | 16.9 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 16 | 6.5 | 74.9 | .38 | 16.2 |
| Allen Robinson, Chi. | 16 | 6.1 | 71.7 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 16 | 6.3 | 69.8 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Healthy Tyrell | 4 | 4.3 | 54.0 | 1.00 | 15.7 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 16 | 4.1 | 74.4 | .69 | 15.6 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 12 | 4.8 | 71.7 | .58 | 15.5 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 16 | 4.5 | 75.1 | .56 | 15.4 |
| Amari Cooper, Dall. | 16 | 4.9 | 74.3 | .50 | 15.4 |
| DJ Moore, Car. | 15 | 5.8 | 78.3 | .27 | 15.2 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 14 | 4.7 | 79.1 | .43 | 15.2 |
| DJ Chark, Jac. | 15 | 4.9 | 67.2 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 13 | 4.8 | 59.9 | .69 | 14.9 |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 13 | 4.8 | 66.6 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 16 | 5.2 | 73.4 | .38 | 14.8 |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 15 | 6.0 | 75.6 | .20 | 14.8 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 16 | 5.1 | 66.1 | .50 | 14.7 |
| John Brown, Buff. | 15 | 4.8 | 70.7 | .44 | 14.5 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 15 | 4.2 | 75.3 | .40 | 14.1 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 16 | 5.6 | 65.4 | .31 | 14.0 |
| Golden Tate, NYG | 11 | 4.5 | 61.5 | .55 | 13.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 14 | 4.1 | 65.6 | .50 | 13.7 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 16 | 4.5 | 69.5 | .38 | 13.7 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 10 | 5.7 | 57.6 | .33 | 13.5 |
| A.J. Brown, Ten. | 16 | 3.3 | 65.7 | .56 | 13.2 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 12 | 3.6 | 53.8 | .67 | 13.0 |
| Odell Beckham, Cle. | 16 | 4.6 | 64.7 | .25 | 12.6 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 10 | 4.5 | 50.1 | .50 | 12.5 |
| Jamison Crowder, NYJ | 16 | 4.9 | 52.1 | .38 | 12.3 |
| Cole Beasley, Buff. | 15 | 4.5 | 51.9 | .44 | 12.3 |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 13 | 5.2 | 54.5 | .26 | 12.2 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 10 | 4.3 | 49.0 | .50 | 12.2 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 11 | 4.5 | 60.9 | .27 | 12.2 |
| John Ross, Cin. | 8 | 3.5 | 63.3 | .38 | 12.1 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 16 | 3.6 | 56.3 | .46 | 12.0 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 15 | 3.8 | 53.5 | .42 | 11.7 |
| Preston Williams, Mia. | 8 | 4.0 | 53.5 | .38 | 11.6 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 10 | 3.0 | 41.8 | .70 | 11.4 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 16 | 4.7 | 50.3 | .25 | 11.2 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den.-S.F. | 17 | 3.9 | 51.1 | .35 | 11.1 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 14 | 3.9 | 45.6 | .43 | 11.1 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 15 | 3.3 | 66.7 | .13 | 10.7 |
| Breshad Perriman, T.B. | 13 | 2.8 | 49.6 | .46 | 10.5 |
| Marquise Brown, Balt. | 14 | 3.3 | 41.7 | .50 | 10.5 |
| Randall Cobb, Dall. | 15 | 3.7 | 55.2 | .20 | 10.4 |
| Hunter Renfrow, Oak. | 13 | 3.8 | 46.5 | .31 | 10.3 |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 15 | 4.4 | 44.0 | .24 | 10.3 |
| Russell Gage, Atl. | 9 | 5.0 | 44.7 | .11 | 10.1 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 16 | 3.3 | 48.7 | .33 | 10.1 |
| Sammy Watkins, K.C. | 14 | 3.7 | 48.1 | .24 | 10.0 |
| Curtis Samuel, Car. | 16 | 3.4 | 39.2 | .44 | 9.9 |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 9 | 3.2 | 39.2 | .44 | 9.8 |
| Chris Conley, Jac. | 16 | 2.9 | 48.4 | .33 | 9.8 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 12 | 3.5 | 46.0 | .25 | 9.6 |
| Danny Amendola, Det. | 15 | 4.1 | 45.2 | .11 | 9.3 |
| Auden Tate, Cin. | 11 | 3.5 | 51.7 | .09 | 9.3 |
| Zach Pascal, Ind. | 13 | 3.0 | 42.6 | .33 | 9.3 |
| Kenny Stills, Hou. | 13 | 3.1 | 43.2 | .31 | 9.2 |
| James Washington, Pitt. | 15 | 2.9 | 49.0 | .20 | 9.0 |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 11 | 3.5 | 33.0 | .30 | 8.7 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl.-N.E. | 14 | 4.0 | 36.1 | .14 | 8.5 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 9 | 2.4 | 46.7 | .22 | 8.4 |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 11 | 2.5 | 31.5 | .45 | 8.4 |
| Allen Lazard, G.B. | 10 | 3.1 | 41.2 | .20 | 8.4 |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 16 | 3.3 | 41.0 | .13 | 8.1 |
| Gimpy Tyrell | 10 | 2.5 | 43.5 | .20 | 8.1 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 14 | 3.0 | 41.6 | .14 | 8.0 |
| Demaryius Thomas, NYJ | 11 | 3.3 | 39.4 | .09 | 7.8 |
Given the nature of Williams' injury, surgery seems very possible at some point. So I wouldn't even throw a last-round pick at him on that basis. And on the field, Williams playing hurt probably wouldn't be very good.
It now looks pretty clear that the Raiders' top 3 wideouts will be Hunter Renfrow (looming over Williams' shoulder in the picture above) and a pair of rookies, top pick Henry Ruggs and third-rounder Bryan Edwards. (Maybe Nelson Agholor sneaks into the conversation, but no one should be considering drafting Agholor.) Edwards is the one who's been drawing the most buzz, and we've talked about him previously. Big and athletic, he's been making a case for playing time throughout camp, even if Williams had stayed healthy. Now, seems like a good candidate for the Williams role in the offense.
Safest pick, though, is Renfrow, who averaged 5 catches for 70 yards and scored 4 TDs in the final seven games a year ago. I'll draft them Renfrow-Edwards (and tight end Darren Waller before either).
--Andy Richardson