Over the offseason, the New York Jets signed veteran wide receiver Mike Williams to a one-year deal worth $15 million. The Jets wanted to give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another weapon, and Williams will slot in as New York’s WR2 alongside Garrett Wilson.
But Williams is coming off a significant injury, so how did he fare in the Jets’ Week 1 contest against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football?
Mike Williams’ Status for Jets-49ers
On Sept. 24, 2023, Williams suffered a season-ending torn ACL against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s been working his way back from that injury ever since, with the goal of being ready for Week 1.
Fortunately, Williams was active and played against the 49ers on Monday Night Football. However, although Williams suited up in the game, he was completely ineffective. He played just four snaps in the first half and was equally invisible in the second half, finishing the game with zero catches on zero targets.
Earlier this week, Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Williams would be on a strict pitch count in order to keep him healthy for the long haul — similar to what New York did with Breece Hall in their 2023 season opener.
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“[Williams] could be ready for 60 plays, and we’re still going to be very smart with how we use him,” Saleh said. “It’s no different than Breece. Breece was ready to roll, but we wanted to make sure we were forward-thinking with regard to the long haul.
“[Williams is] going to have plenty of impact on this game, but at the same time, we’re going to be smart with him because our eyes are on the entire season, not just Week 1.”
Williams’ Fantasy Outlook
Williams was a new addition to the Jets this offseason. Unfortunately, in the first game of the season, we didn’t see the play that Williams usually brings to the field.
In his limited time last year, Williams was 14th-best in the league in yards after catch per reception, according to TruMedia. The Jets hoped to add that skill set down the field to pair with Garrett Wilson.
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Sadly, following his summer of rehab for his knee, we didn’t see that skill set come to life for the team from the Big Apple in Week 1. In fact, Williams was basically invisible against the Niners.
Underwhelming is not a strong enough word for this veteran’s fantasy performance on Monday. What makes it even more frustrating is that Allen Lazard had six catches, 89 yards, and two touchdowns in the role that we expected Williams to fill.
Moving forward, we can move on from Williams and find ourselves a better wide receiver who will contribute to their respective offense. Williams looks good on paper but until he shows he’s 100% and is no longer on a pitch count, he doesn’t warrant a roster spot on your fantasy team.
Williams will be the third option at best within the Jets’ offense behind Wilson and Hall. And even as the third option, he will share targets with a slew of players like Lazard, Xavier Gipson, and Malachi Corley. Check your waiver wire for players like Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to replace Williams on your fantasy roster for Week 2.