Chargers' Mike Williams: Restructures contract for cap room
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Williams (back) agreed to restructure his contract Thursday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.
The Chargers needed cap relief, and the restructures of Williams and Keenan Allen provided it. Williams' salary conversion creates $5.46 million in 2023 cap space for Los Angeles. Williams was injured in a Week 18 loss to Denver and missed his team's playoff game against the Jaguars but should be healthy now.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Has chance to play in second round
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Williams (back), who won't play in Saturday's wild-card game at Jacksonville, has "an outside shot" to return in the divisional round if the Chargers advance in the postseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Williams was forced out of the Chargers' Week 18 contest at Denver with a back injury, which initially was termed a contusion. He wasn't able to practice Tuesday through Thursday and eventually was ruled out for the first round of the playoffs Friday. At that point, Williams underwent additional testing on his back, and it was revealed that he had a transverse process fracture, which was expected to keep him sidelined for 2-to-3 weeks, according to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. While L.A. must win Saturday for Williams to have a chance to play again this season, there seems to be at least a glimmer of hope that he'll miss just one game as a result of his current health concern.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Expected to miss 2-3 weeks
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Further tests have revealed that Williams suffered a small non-surgical fracture in his back and the wideout is now expected to miss two-to-three weeks, per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com.
The Chargers had already downgraded Williams to out for Saturday night's playoff opener against the Jaguars, and it appears he'll miss time beyond this weekend if his team advances. Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter should get most of the wideout snaps for Los Angeles alongside Keenan Allen on Saturday and perhaps beyond.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Won't play Saturday
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Williams (back) has been ruled out for Saturday night's playoff game against the Jaguars.
The report notes that the wideout, who was previously listed as questionable by the Chargers, will remain in Los Angeles to continue receiving treatment for his back injury. In Williams' looming absence, look for Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter to see added snaps in the team's postseason opener alongside Keenan Allen.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Misses practice, listed as questionable
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Williams (back) is listed as questionable for Saturday's playoff opener against the Jaguars.
Though Williams didn't practice again Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network relays that the Chargers plan to give the wideout up to game time before a determination is made on his availability for Saturday night's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. If Williams ends up out or limited versus Jacksonville, however, Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter would be candidates to see added snaps alongside Keenan Allen.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Not seen at practice
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Williams (back) wasn't spotted during the initial portion of Thursday's practice, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.
Williams logged DNP listings both Tuesday and Wednesday, and the wideout's absence from the early stages of Thursday's session suggests that he's no lock to be available for Saturday's playoff opener against the Jaguars. The Chargers' upcoming injury report is in line to add further context to Williams' status for the contest.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Not spotted at practice
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Williams (back) isn't participating in Wednesday's practice, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports.
Williams failed to take the field for Tuesday's walk-though session, so what the wideout is able to do during Thursday's practice should be telling with regard to his chances of suiting up for Saturday's wild-card game against the Jaguars. On Monday, head coach Brandon Staley noted that Williams, who sustained a back contusion in Week 18, is expected to practice at some point this week before the Chargers take on Jacksonville.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Sits out practice Tuesday
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Williams (back) didn't participate in Tuesday's walk-through practice.
Though he required assistance off the field when he exited this past Sunday's loss to the Broncos, Williams appears to have avoided a serious injury. Williams was diagnosed Monday with a bruise on the left side of his lower back, and though he missed the Chargers' first practice of the week as a result, head coach Brandon Staley doesn't believe the wideout is in danger of missing Saturday's wild-card game in Jacksonville. According to Nick Cothrel of SI.com, Staley reiterated Tuesday that Williams is day-to-day and is expected to practice at some point Wednesday and/or Thursday, which will clear up any lingering doubt about his status heading into the weekend.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Gets positive news
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Head coach Brandon Staley said an MRI revealed that Williams has a back contusion, and the coach expects the wideout to practice at some point ahead of Saturday's matchup with Jacksonville, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
Even though the result of Week 18 had no impact on the Chargers' playoff seed, Williams, along with the majority of the team's starters, played deep into Sunday's loss to the Broncos. Williams caught four of five targets for 32 yards before exiting with a back issue, but he appears to have avoided a significant injury and will have a chance to play in the wild-card round. Further clarity on his status likely won't come until later in the week.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Evaluation coming Monday
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Williams is scheduled to undergo further evaluation Monday after exiting Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Broncos with an injury to the left side of his lower back, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
Even though the Chargers were locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs prior to kickoff, head coach Brandon Staley chose to have most of the team's key starters play in the regular-season finale in an effort to stay sharp for the wild-card round. The decision came at the cost of Williams sustaining the back injury in the second quarter, with the wideout requiring assistance to get off the field before being carted to the locker room. Fortunately for Williams and the Chargers, initial X-rays returned negative, and the early expectation is that the 28-year-old will be available for Saturday's wild-card game in Jacksonville. Monday's evaluation should shed further light on Williams' condition, and even if he ultimately gets the green light to play this weekend, his practice reps could be managed while he nurses the injury. Williams finished the regular season with 63 catches for 895 yards and four touchdowns on 93 targets over 13 appearances.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Injures back versus Broncos
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Williams (back) required assistance to get from the locker room to the bus after Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Broncos, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
Williams exited the season finale due to a back injury that appears to be hampering his ability to walk. Hopes that the wide receiver's early exit was precautionary are fading, and Williams will need to heal quickly to be available for the Chargers' wild-card matchup with Jacksonville next Saturday. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, X-rays on Williams' back were negative, but Williams will undergo further testing Monday.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Hurts back Sunday
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Williams was forced out of Sunday's game against the Broncos with a back injury.
With the Chargers locked into the No. 5 playoff seed in the AFC, chances are Williams' day is over. Prior to his exit, the wideout caught four of his five targets for 32 yards. In his absence, the team's available WR options are Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Possible Bust (Lineup Decisions)
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Williams has scored 10-plus PPR in each of his past four games and had a 7-94-0 stat line on 10 targets last week in a runaway win over the Rams. He has the potential to match that number in Week 18, but the Broncos have consistently been among the best pass defenses in the league. Denver ranks in the top-10 in catch rate allowed to outside receivers like Williams over its past six games with a league-best 9.46 yards per catch allowed. Only seven wide receivers have scored on them all season, and only four have had over 100 yards (none since Week 12). Williams fell prey to Denver in L.A. in Week 6, scoring three PPR points on six targets. Between the Broncos improving-but-still-shaky offense and the Chargers powerful combo of Austin Ekeler and a shining defense, there's room for Williams to get the short end of the stick in terms of opportunities. I'd try to sit him in non- and half-PPR.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Makes most of four targets
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Williams recorded four receptions on four targets for 76 yards in Monday's 20-3 win over the Colts.
Williams saw limited targets, as Keenan Allen dominated opportunity among the Chargers' pass catchers. However, Williams made the most of his looks, tallying gains of 26, 16, 16 and 14 yards. Though he's scored only one touchdown across three games since returning from an ankle injury, Williams has at least four receptions and 67 yards in each of those matchups.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Four catches against Titans
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Williams caught four of eight targets for 67 yards in Sunday's 17-14 win over Tennessee.
It was a somewhat disappointing day for Williams against what has been a vulnerable Titans secondary, but he came up big late with a 35-yard catch inside the final minute to help set up the game-winning field goal. Williams has a 10-183-1 line on 14 targets in two games since returning from an ankle injury, and he could post big numbers in Week 16 against a reeling Colts defense that just got lit up by Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Scores touchdown in return
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Williams caught all six of his targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in the 23-17 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.
Williams missed the previous two games due to an ankle injury, but the big-bodied target looked like his regularly destructive self against an overmatched Dolphins secondary. The 28-year-old had multiple receptions of 20-plus yards, including a 55-yard strike from Justin Herbert to set up a field goal in the third quarter, but Williams' most impressive reception was easily his second-quarter TD catch on which the big target nimbly tapped his toes in the back of the end zone. Sunday marked the first time since Week 1 that Williams and Keenan Allen played and finished the contest together, and the duo could pose questions for defenses the rest of the season as the Chargers continue their playoff push.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Ready to return Sunday
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Williams (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Williams will be back in action this weekend after logging full practice sessions Thursday and Friday. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver has appeared in only one game since Week 7, and he re-injured his ankle in that brief Week 11 cameo against Kansas City. The lack of injury designation means fantasy managers can start Williams with confidence without having to worry about a last-minute replacement when he takes on the Dolphins on Sunday night.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Returns to full practice
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Williams (ankle) practiced fully Thursday.
Williams was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's walk-through session, but Thursday's full practice puts the wideout -- who last played Week 11 -- in a position to return to action Sunday night against the Dolphins. In the eight games Williams has suited up for this season, he's logged a 38-510-3 line on 60 targets, and as long as he avoids any setbacks Friday, the 28-year-old should reclaim a key role in the Chargers' Week 14 passing attack alongside Keenan Allen, with Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter also candidates to factor in.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: Returns to limited practice
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Williams (ankle) was a limited participant at Wednesday's walk-through session.
The wideout didn't practice at all last week, so his limited listing Wednesday represents a step in the right direction as Sunday's game against the Dolphins approaches. Per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com, head coach Brandon Staley said that he's viewing Williams -- who last suited up Week 11 -- as day-to-day. If Williams remains out or returns to the field on a limited snap count this weekend, added opportunities would be available for Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter.
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Chargers' Mike Williams: May practice this week
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Coach Brandon Staley said Monday that Williams (ankle) should take part in practice this week, Bridget Condon of NFL Network reports.
Williams continues to deal with the ankle injury that has limited him to one game since getting hurt back in Week 7. In that one appearance Week 11 against the Chiefs, he aggravated it after six offensive snaps on his only catch, a 15-yarder, along the right sideline and hasn't practiced in the meantime, missing back-to-back contests. The Chargers will reconvene for on-field work Wednesday, at which point the team will reveal whether or not Williams was able to participate in drills.
