MikeWilliams

News: 4 days agoCoach Robert Saleh said Thursday that Williams (knee) is expected to be available for New York's regular-season opener against the 49ers on Monday, Sept. 9, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Spin: Saleh said Williams had a "really nice" practice session Thursday, "including four or five catches, well over 100 yards" in team drills, per Nick Shook of NFL.com. The head coach also said that the Jets are "gonna be very smart with how we use [Williams]," but that "he's gonna be plenty available to make his mark felt." That seems like an indication that Williams' involvement will be ramped up as the season progresses, which isn't much of a surprise given that the veteran wideout is working his way back from an ACL tear. Even if his rep count is limited Week 1, Williams is a big-bodied downfield threat capable of making an impact in a single play, and he it wouldn't be out of the question for him to immediately produce as the No. 2 receiver for QB Aaron Rodgers.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: This is Williams' first season with the Jets after spending his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers. Williams offers a much-needed boost to a team that struggled with Allen Lazard and Xavier Gipson as their next-best WRs behind Garrett Wilson. Despite suffering a torn ACL in September 2023, Williams is expected to be fully recovered by the start of the 2024 season. The 29-year-old has maintained an average of 7.7 targets and 14.8 fantasy points per game over the past three seasons. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Williams should see enough targets to warrant consideration as a boom/bust flex option in 2024.