Mike Williams might miss the entire season with a back injury, thinning one of the league’s deeper receiving corps. But it’s too early to rule him out entirely.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported yesterday that Williams likely will undergo back surgery, sidelining him for the year. But Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported a few hours later that Williams’ balky back has responded well to an epidural, shelving any surgery plans for now.
Williams almost certainly won’t be ready for the start of training camp (says an article in the Los Angeles Times) making it unlikely that he’ll be a starter when the season begins. The Chargers have plenty of other capable wide receivers, including Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin. They also have one of the best one-two punches of tight ends in Hunter Henry and Antonio Gates.
The article in the Los Angeles Times says Keenan Allen is healthy. Allen tore his ACL last year but participated fully in the OTAs.
Whether the injury sidelines him or not, Mike Williams is falling behind. He needs to learn the offense, and it’s increasing unlikely he’ll put up better number than Allen or Tyrell Williams. Tyrell Williams is hardly a household name, but he played surprisingly well last year, catching 69 passes for 1,059 yards and 7 TDs. Both he and Travis Benjamin had 6 catches of 40-plus yards, tying for most in the league.
I’m surprised by how often injuries are a factor with rookie wide receivers. Of the last four wide receivers selected with top-15 picks, three of them were hardly factors at all in their first year in part because of injuries: DeVante Parker, Kevin White and Corey Coleman.
A couple of years back, Odell Beckham and Mike Evans put up huge numbers in their first years. But more commonly, highly regarded rookie receivers tend to struggle. Of the last 38 chosen with top-15 picks, only 14 have caught 50-plus passes in their first year. Sixteen of these 38 wide receivers caught under 40 passes in their first year (tagged with black dots below).
Corey Davis, John Ross and Mike Williams were all selected with top-10 picks, but big-picture odds indicate you’re probably better off letting somebody else gamble on these guys.
| RECEIVERS SELECTED WITH TOP-15 PICKS (last 20 years) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | No | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 1997 | • Ike Hilliard, NYG | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 |
| 1997 | • Yatil Green, Mia. | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 |
| 1999 | Troy Edwards, Pitt. | 61 | 714 | 11.7 | 5 |
| 1999 | Torry Holt, St.L. | 52 | 788 | 15.2 | 6 |
| 1999 | David Boston, Ariz. | 40 | 473 | 11.8 | 2 |
| 2000 | Peter Warrick, Cin. | 51 | 592 | 11.6 | 7 |
| 2000 | • Travis Taylor, Balt. | 28 | 276 | 9.9 | 3 |
| 2000 | • Plaxico Burress, Pitt. | 22 | 273 | 12.4 | 0 |
| 2001 | Rod Gardner, Wash. | 46 | 741 | 16.1 | 4 |
| 2001 | • Koren Robinson, Sea. | 39 | 536 | 13.7 | 1 |
| 2001 | • David Terrell, Chi. | 34 | 415 | 12.2 | 4 |
| 2002 | Donte Stallworth, N.O. | 42 | 594 | 14.1 | 8 |
| 2003 | Andre Johnson, Hou. | 66 | 976 | 14.8 | 4 |
| 2003 | • Charles Rogers, Det. | 22 | 243 | 11.0 | 3 |
| 2004 | Michael Clayton, T.B. | 80 | 1193 | 14.9 | 7 |
| 2004 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 58 | 780 | 13.4 | 8 |
| 2004 | Roy Williams, Det. | 54 | 817 | 15.1 | 8 |
| 2004 | Lee Evans, Buff. | 48 | 843 | 17.6 | 9 |
| 2004 | • Reggie Williams, Jac. | 27 | 268 | 9.9 | 1 |
| 2005 | • Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 32 | 512 | 16.0 | 3 |
| 2005 | • Mike Williams, Det. | 29 | 350 | 12.1 | 1 |
| 2005 | • Troy Williamson, Minn. | 24 | 372 | 15.5 | 2 |
| 2007 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 48 | 756 | 15.8 | 5 |
| 2007 | • Ted Ginn Jr., Mia. | 34 | 420 | 12.4 | 3 |
| 2009 | Michael Crabtree, S.F. | 48 | 625 | 13.0 | 2 |
| 2009 | • Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak. | 9 | 124 | 13.8 | 1 |
| 2011 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 65 | 1057 | 16.3 | 7 |
| 2011 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 54 | 959 | 17.8 | 8 |
| 2012 | Justin Blackmon, Jac. | 64 | 865 | 13.5 | 5 |
| 2012 | Michael Floyd, Ariz. | 45 | 562 | 12.5 | 2 |
| 2013 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 40 | 418 | 10.5 | 6 |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 91 | 1305 | 14.3 | 12 |
| 2014 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 68 | 1051 | 15.5 | 12 |
| 2014 | Sammy Watkins, Buff. | 65 | 982 | 15.1 | 6 |
| 2015 | Amari Cooper, Oak. | 72 | 1070 | 14.9 | 6 |
| 2015 | • DeVante Parker, Mia. | 26 | 494 | 19.0 | 3 |
| 2015 | • Kevin White, Chi. | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 |
| 2016 | • Corey Coleman, Clev. | 33 | 413 | 12.5 | 3 |
| 2017 | Corey Davis, Tenn. | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2017 | Mike Williams, LAC | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2017 | John Ross, Cin. | -- | -- | -- | -- |
—Ian Allan