The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded a 2025 fifth-round pick to the New York Jets for wide receiver Mike Williams, per Adam Schefter.
After multiple failed attempts at trading for a quality pass-catcher, the Steelers finally struck a deal to acquire Williams. Wide receiver depth has been one of Pittsburgh’s most glaring roster holes since the start of the season. Dating back to this offseason, the Steelers reportedly tried obtaining Brandon Aiyuk and Davante Adams, among others. After swinging and missing on previous options, the Steelers add Williams to their receiver rotation.
Williams spent the first seven years of his career with the Chargers before signing a one-year contract with the Jets this offseason. He topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2019 and 2021, but recent injuries have kept him on the sidelines. The start of 2024 hasn’t been much kinder to Williams as he’s been mostly uninvolved in the Jets’ offensive gameplan. His 1.3 receptions and 18.4 yards per game are the lowest marks since his rookie season. With Pittsburgh, Williams has a golden opportunity to re-establish himself as an NFL starter. George Pickens leads the team with 548 receiving yards, more than double the next closest receiver on the Steelers. Williams should be a key part of Pittsburgh’s passing game and can regain fantasy relevance if he sparks a connection with Russell Wilson.
Written by @TreyK_FB (Twitter/X)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams made the ...
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams came down ...
The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading for New York Jets wide ...
Mike Williams to play week 1, but not in a full-time capacity.
The New York Jets free agent acquisition Mike Williams has progressed very well since being activated from the PUP list. He is practicing, and what Jets head coach Robert Saleh has seen is enough for him to feel confident that he will be able to “make his mark” in limited action. Per the coach speak index account on X, Saleh has a 40% reliability rating for injuries. Williams tore his ACL in week 3 of 2023 season.
Williams catch radius and his body control make him and intriguing target very late in drafts. His quarterback has shown a propensity for targeting his archetype of wide receiver in the redzone. Williams is well worth the late round dart throw for his touchdown efficiency and could easily out perform his current 14th round price tag.
Wide receiver Mike Williams told reporters he plans to practice with the Jets’ first team next week.
After tearing his ACL last season, Mike Williams is nearing his return to team drills next week. The Jets recently removed Williams from the PUP list. Since then, he has been working on individual drills and is ready to take first-team reps to start building some chemistry with Aaron Rodgers and get implemented into the offense.
Williams played seven seasons with the Chargers. During that time, he accumulated 309 receptions for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. He was mainly a deep threat for the Chargers averaging 15.6 yards per reception before suffering the injury. The Chargers decided to let him walk in free agency and here we are.
Williams will give Rodgers another target to attack downfield and alleviate the defensive attention that Garrett Wilson gets each week. In dynasty leagues, Williams is a hold for now but once he has a big game try to unload him for younger talent or draft picks if possible. In redraft leagues, he has an ADP of 148 making him a late 12th round dart throw.
The New York Jets have placed wide receiver Mike Williams on the PUP list prior to the start of camp.
Mike Williams is set to begin training camp on the PUP list. The Jets signed the former Chargers wide receiver during the offseason to a one-year $15 million deal. Williams is still recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in Week 3 last season.
Williams has tallied up 309 receptions in seven seasons with the Chargers, for 4,806 yards, and 31 touchdowns. The veteran receiver has eclipsed the 1,000 yards receiving plateau twice in his career while having one double-digit touchdown season. Before last season, Williams was averaging 55.8 receptions, 892.4 yards, and six touchdowns in his five previous seasons.
Williams should be ready for Week 1, and be an excellent complement to Garrett Wilson this year. He provides Aaron Rodgers, who’s returning from an Achilles injury with another weapon to throw to. On UnderDog, Williams currently has an ADP of 128.5 coming off the board as WR60. If your draft is soon, fantasy managers should look to draft him around the 11th round. Then after the draft you can stash him on your IR spot and pick up another young high-upside player to see how things shake out during camp.
Aaron Rodgers gets another weapon opposite Garrett Wilson, as the ex-Chargers wide receiver has agreed to terms with the Jets on a one-year deal.
While most teams have already finalized their free agency moves and shifted focus to the NFL Draft on April 25, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas stayed busy. With a Jadeveon Clowney visit looming, New York signed former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams to a one-year contract worth up to $15 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Having lacked a true number two option behind Garrett Wilson in 2023, Williams projects to be an instant upgrade on a roster looking to contend with quarterback Aaron Rodgers recovering from a torn Achilles. And although Williams arrives in the Big Apple with several concerns — most notably injuries — he adds a new dimension to a Jets offense that has lacked explosion for nearly a decade. Since 2019, Mike Williams has led the NFL in yards per reception at 15.9 — adding a much-needed vertical threat to a receiving corps that ranked second to last in the same category last season.
During his seven-year career, Williams has amassed 4,806 yards on 309 catches, scoring 31 touchdowns in the process. His best season came in 2021, a campaign in which the former seventh overall pick tallied 76 receptions for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. The reception and yardage totals remain career highs for Williams, even though he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl to this point.
While Williams had several other suitors — including the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers — he decided to join a Jets receiving room that features uninspiring options beyond Wilson. Second-year man Xavier Gipson figures to play as a slot receiver but is inexperienced, while Allen Lazard was a massive disappointment in Year 1.
In terms of projecting Williams’ fantasy outlook, a lot of it (yet again) depends on health. If he’s on the field, Williams figures to assume a sizeable role for New York. Unfortunately, though, that’s a big “if,” as the former Clemson standout tore his ACL in Week 3 last season and missed four games in 2022.
When healthy, though, Williams can be an invaluable asset, not only for the New York Jets but also for your fantasy team. The 6-foot-4 Williams is among the league’s best at stretching the field and has a knack for making contested catches in traffic. His vertical threat and diverse skillset also make him an elite red zone player, which could ultimately be most appealing to fantasy managers looking to cash in on a mid-round pick with upside.
Overall, despite their recent organizational failures, the New York Jets are one of the best places Williams could’ve ended up for fantasy purposes. Again, a lot of it depends on health — both for Williams and Aaron Rodgers — but if he can stay off the injury report, there’s no reason why Mike Williams can’t be a viable FLEX option in pretty much all formats.
LA Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams tore his ACL in the Chargers win vs the Minnesota Vikings and will be out for the remainder of the season.
Wide receiver Mike Williams of the Los Angeles Chargers was injured on Sunday in the Chargers’ win over the Minnesota Vikings. According to Ian Rappaport on Twitter, via sources, an MRI revealed Williams tore his ACL. Williams will miss the remainder of the season.
Williams missed 4 games in 2022 with a high-ankle sprain. As of Monday morning of Week 3 of the season Williams was the WR13, so the injury is significant to the Chargers as well as fantasy owners.
Fantasy owners should look to Josh Palmer to fill in the target share in Williams’ absence. Rookie WR Quentin Johnston, who was expected to take some time before being productive, may see an increase in production. In deeper leagues, Derius Davis has received limited looks in 2023, and KJ Hill or Keelan Doss may be elevated from the practice squad.
