The Chargers cut Mike Williams as soon as the league year began, noting that he had a failed physical designation when they did so — no surprise considering he is still recovering from a torn ACL. Less than a week later, Williams signed a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with the Jets. Williams will team up with Garrett Wilson to form a high-upside WR duo for Aaron Rodgers.
MIKE WILLIAMS
Old ranking: 110th overall on Underdog
New ranking: 92nd overall on Underdog
- The big question for Williams is health. He tore his ACL last September and may not be ready for Week 1. Even once he is healthy, there’s still the question of how much Rodgers has left in the tank for his age-40 season and whether Williams can stay healthy for 17 games. Plus, Williams himself turns 30 years old in October, and trying to return to full strength off an ACL tear for a wide receiver at that age is no easy task.
- In short, there are plenty of question marks with Williams. However, he is a 10th-round pick who has flashed elite upside in the past, especially near the end zone. If the Jets can put it together and if Williams can get and stay healthy, he has double-digit-touchdown upside. We’ve seen Rodgers hone in on his favorite target near the end zone in the past with players like Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson; not that Williams is going to be in the same atmosphere as those guys fantasy-wise, but there’s upside if he can garner similar trust within the 20-yard line.
OTHER JETS WRS
- Wilson is still the clear WR1 here. The Jets were always likely to add WR help, and Williams coming off an ACL tear is less scary than a highly-touted rookie. We barely touched Wilson’s target share in our projections because we assumed another wideout was on the way.
- This is a death blow for Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson, etc. — not that they really had any life to begin with. None of the other Jets receivers besides Wilson pre-Williams signing really did, and that remains the case with Big Mike on the team. Lazard may not be on the team come September and Gipson can go back to focusing on kickoff returns.
