Week 5 at Cleveland Browns
Like most of the Chargers players, Mike Williams came alive in Week 4 against the Houston Texans. After catching just one ball for 15 yards in Week 3, Williams reeled in seven of his season-high 11 targets for 120 yards. He did fail to score for the first time since Week 1, but he was still able to amass 15.5 Half PPR points, good for WR13 for the week.
Williams should be able to remain good in Week 5. The Browns are currently ranked No.25 in aFPA to wide receivers. With Keenan Allen's status uncertain, Williams should command a decent workload once again, and remains a solid WR2 option.
Week 4 at Houston Texans
To call Mike Williams's performance in Week 3 disappointing would be engaging in gross underestimation. Williams caught just one of his six targets for 15 yards, his second game with less than 20 receiving yards in three weeks. He did find the end zone for the second game in a row, but he was only able to put up 8.0 Half PPR points, "good" for WR46. Through three weeks of the 2022 season, Williams has commanded 16.4% of the Chargers' targets but averages just 3.7 receptions for 46 yards per game. He is the WR36 for the season.
Williams should be able to jumpstart his season against the Texans in Week 4. The Texans are ranked 24th in aFPA to wide receivers through the first three weeks of the season. Still, the shaky nature of the Chargers' current passing game makes Williams a volatile option. He should be viewed as a mid-tier WR2 this week.
Week 3 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mike Williams emerged from his slow start to the season in Week 1 with a stellar outing against the Chiefs in Week 2. He reeled in eight of his 10 targets for 113 yards and a touchdown. Williams posted 21.3 Half PPR points, good for the WR8 spot for the week, and is currently the WR23 for the year.
Keenan Allen looks like he might be able to suit up for Week 3 against the Jaguars, so it will be interesting to see how the targets are divvied up. If Allen can't go, then Williams should be viewed as a low-end WR1. But if Allen takes the field, this could see Williams fall down toward the backend of the top-24 options at wide receiver this week.
Week 2 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Williams didn't exactly set the world alight in Week 1 of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders, but that doesn't mean it's time to panic. Williams was one of a glut of Chargers players to see four targets in Week 1. He only caught two for a miserable 10 yards, giving him a disappointing 2.0 Half PPR points. Things can only get better for Williams.
And they should start this Thursday against the Chiefs. With Keenan Allen likely to be missing, Williams should step into the WR1 chair for the Chargers and hopefully earn a few more targets, including hopefully a few end zone shots after he saw zero last week. Williams is a high-end WR2 this week.
Week 1 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Mike Williams enjoyed a career season in 2021, crossing 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career while setting a new personal best with a 21% target share. Williams was the WR11 in Half-PPR formats, thanks to 76 receptions, 1146 yards, and nine touchdowns. He only posted five WR1 weeks, however, and between Weeks 6 and 17, he posted fewer than 10 PPR points in a game just three times.
The fantasy wide receivers didn't have it all their own way against the Raiders in 2021, only averaging 24.8 Half-PPR points per game against them. This was the fifth-lowest across the entire league. We have Williams projected to finish as a mid-tier WR2 in Week 1.
2022 Fantasy Upside
The Chargers kept Mike Williams from testing his value as an unrestricted free agent by signing him to a three-year, $60 million contract in early March. The deal includes $40 million guaranteed at signing, per Rapoport. Fortunately, Williams put together his most complete season at the right time. Playing on a fifth-year option of $15.7 million for the Chargers, Williams caught 76 passes -- eclipsing his previous career-high by 27 -- for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. He had a mid-season lull but was also working through a knee issue. Having receiver Keenan Allen on the other side helps as does the presence of a rising star at quarterback in Justin Herbert, but Williams set himself up for this hefty payday just before the deadline to apply the franchise tag and before he hit the open market.
2022 Fantasy Downside
As CBSSports.com put it, "Williams looked like a Hall of Famer through the first five games of the 2021 season." Williams scored at least 22 PPR points in four of his first five games last season, including scoring six touchdowns over that span. That was great. But he couldn't sustain it leaving questions about his ability to be a consistent high-end producer over the course of a full season.
2022 Bottom Line
Williams did add some quality performances at the end of the season, scoring at least 12 PPR points in five of his final seven games. If he continues to build on that impressive 2021 effort -- especially if he can produce at the level he did over the first half last year over the full season, fantasy managers investing in him will be big winners.
Week 17 vs. Broncos
Mike Williams missed Week 16 due to being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He is the WR18 in half-PPR formats so far this season but has posted top 12 numbers just once in his last nine games.
Assuming Williams is able to operate somewhere near his best on Sunday, he won't have an easy path to fantasy success. The Broncos ranked 5th in aFPA to wide receivers this season. He projects as a low-end WR2 in Fantasy Championship week.
Week 16 vs. Texans
Mike Williams saw nine targets against the Chiefs in Week 15, including three on consecutive plays inside the Chiefs' five-yard line in the first quarter. He didn't catch any of these looks and indeed was only able to reel in three balls for 49 yards. Williams was held out of the end zone for the eighth time in his last nine matches. Williams posted 6.4 half-PPR points but is still the WR13 in that format this season.
Williams has an enticing matchup on paper in Week 16, as the Texans currently ranked30th in aFPA to wide receivers. Williams might see a boost in targets with Austin Ekeler missing out. Williams's consistent inconsistency makes him hard to trust as anything above a low-end WR2 this week, however.
Week 15 vs. Chiefs
It was a fairly efficient day at the office for Mike Williams in Week 14, without beginning a particularly exciting one. He saw six targets from Justin Herbert and caught all of them for 61 yards. He finished with 9.1 Half PPR points, good for WR27 in that format. Williams is the WR11 in fantasy scoring this season.
Williams may struggle to make much of an impact in Week 15 against the Chiefs. Kansas City ranks 3rd in aFPA to wide receivers in 2021. Williams does have 11 receptions for 171 yards in his last two games, but he has shown that he can be a volatile performer on a weekly basis. It's hard to trust him as anything above a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 this week.
Week 14 vs. Giants
Mike Williams is currently on the COVID-19/reserve list so monitor his status as the week progresses. The Giants are ranked 14th in aFPA allowed to wide receivers.
