The question of Mike Williams playing had not been one that fantasy football managers had really dealt with in recent weeks. As he recovered from his ankle injury, Williams was usually a pretty definitive absentee for the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, his questionable tag on the Chargers’ final injury report means we head toward Sunday Night Football with uncertainty as to his status. What is the latest regarding Williams’ status for Week 11, and what are the fantasy implications for fantasy managers when it comes to the entire Chargers’ WR group this week?
Update: Mike Williams is active for the Chargers’ Week 11 game.
Is Mike Williams Playing Today?
On Friday, we saw Williams back as a full participant in practice for the first time since his injury. After that, he told ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry that he was “200 percent.” That sounds fairly positive from Williams, but head coach Brandon Staley referred to him as a game-time decision.
On Sunday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport echoed the report from Thiry that Williams is hopeful of playing. However, Rapoport also added that it “is the expectation” that both Williams and Keenan Allen would suit up this week.
MORE: Is Keenan Allen Playing Today?
For fantasy managers of both Williams and Allen, the prospect of them both returning is extremely exciting. However, when it comes to Week 11, there is still uncertainty over just how much they might play as they return from their injuries.
Therefore, that uncertainty makes for some tough decisions for fantasy managers, especially with neither a 100% lock to play on Sunday Night Football. This game is the late one on Sunday, adding to the complication for considering Allen and Williams this week. If you risk starting them and they are a late inactive, there might be nowhere left to turn.
Fantasy Implications for Williams, Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer, and DeAndre Carter
The swirling cloud of uncertainty over how much we see each of the Chargers’ WRs play this week is frustrating for fantasy managers. The Chiefs present an intriguing matchup that might not be able to be taken advantage of with the blurred picture over playing time for the four receivers.
With an average of 31.49 fantasy points allowed to the WR position this season, only four teams are more vulnerable to opposing receivers than the Chiefs. Six times this season, the Chiefs have allowed more than 30 fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Three of those have seen opposing receivers go over 40 fantasy points.
MORE: Week 11 Start/Sit Advice
It is also worth noting that while five of those 30-plus point performances have come in the past six games, the sixth came when the Chargers faced the Chiefs back in Week 2. The biggest beneficiary that week was Williams, with 113 receiving yards and a touchdown from his eight receptions.
In some ways, it might actually be better for the overall fantasy picture if Williams and Allen were both inactive. In that situation, Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter would be the clear top two receiving options and would both have a real chance of returning starting-level fantasy point returns this week.
If one of Allen or Williams is active, then Palmer is the likely candidate to play the majority of snaps in two receiver sets. Therefore, he would have the most value of the active trio in that scenario, with Carter likely either splitting two-receiver snaps or playing exclusively in three-WR sets.
MORE: Week 11 WR Rankings
Where it gets really complicated is if Williams and Allen are both active. In that scenario, it would not be a shock to see that duo play the most snaps in two WR sets. However, it would be a surprise if they play in 80% or more of the two-wide receiver snaps. Both Palmer and Carter have proven capable of mixing in and being effective.
Therefore, the Chargers may decide to mix and match their four receivers, which stunts the fantasy value of all of them to some extent. It will be hard to trust any one receiver, even if Williams and Allen should still be seen as the most likely starting options for fantasy.
If thinking of how the Chargers’ WRs will fit into your fantasy lineups is giving you headaches, then the way to mitigate it would be to play in Underdog Fantasy Best Ball tournaments.
In those games, fantasy managers can draft any of the Chargers’ WRs and not have to worry if they struggle. Meanwhile, if one of them has a big day or even just a single big play, they could be a huge asset for your team this week in what is a reasonably friendly matchup for WR options.