The Chargers should have one of the league's better offenses, and they've got some targets to fill with Tyrell Williams gone to the Raiders. That, and his success in his second season, has some expecting great things from third-year wideout Mike Williams.
"I feel I’m going to get a lot more opportunities than I did last year," Williams says in a story at the team website. "A lot more balls coming my way. I’m looking forward to it.”
Williams had an injury-riddled rookie season, but was a lot better in year 2. He went for 664 yards and 10 TDs. That puts him in a fairly select group of first-rounders this century. Only 16 other wideouts drafted that early have scored 10 TDs in any of their first three seasons.
| 1ST-ROUND WRS, 10 TDS ANY OF FIRST THREE YEARS, 2000-PRESENT | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Pk | Player | Yds(1) | TD(1) | Yds(2) | TD(2) | Yds(3) | TD(3) |
| 2018 | 26 | Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 821 | 10 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 2017 | 7 | Mike Williams, LAC | 95 | 0 | 664 | 10 | ? | ? |
| 2014 | 7 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 1051 | 12 | 1206 | 3 | 1321 | 12 |
| 2014 | 12 | Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 1305 | 12 | 1450 | 13 | 1367 | 10 |
| 2013 | 27 | DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 802 | 2 | 1210 | 6 | 1521 | 11 |
| 2013 | 8 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 418 | 6 | 242 | 3 | 473 | 10 |
| 2011 | 4 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 1057 | 7 | 1350 | 11 | 1426 | 11 |
| 2011 | 6 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 959 | 8 | 1198 | 10 | 580 | 2 |
| 2010 | 24 | Dez Bryant, Dall. | 561 | 8 | 928 | 9 | 1382 | 12 |
| 2010 | 22 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 283 | 2 | 551 | 4 | 1434 | 10 |
| 2009 | 29 | Hakeem Nicks, NYG | 790 | 6 | 1052 | 11 | 1192 | 7 |
| 2009 | 19 | Jeremy Maclin, Phil. | 773 | 4 | 964 | 10 | 859 | 5 |
| 2007 | 2 | Calvin Johnson, Det. | 756 | 5 | 1331 | 12 | 984 | 5 |
| 2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards, Clev. | 512 | 3 | 884 | 6 | 1289 | 16 |
| 2004 | 3 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 780 | 8 | 1409 | 10 | 946 | 6 |
| 2002 | 20 | Javon Walker, G.B. | 319 | 1 | 716 | 9 | 1382 | 12 |
| 2001 | 16 | Santana Moss, NYJ | 40 | 0 | 433 | 6 | 1105 | 10 |
Not that all of those players have turned out great (Tavon Austin), but most have. Note that Calvin Ridley is also in that fairly small group since 2000.
Williams isn't a sure thing. The Chargers have plenty of other targets, including the running backs, and they're getting Hunter Henry back from injury.
But he should be the clear No. 2 wideout, and he's working with one of the game's best quarterbacks. Good chance he builds on last year's strong season.
--Andy Richardson