The Oakland Raiders made some significant moves to upgrade their wide receiver corps this offseason. The most significant transaction, of course, was trading for Antonio Brown. But a move that could prove to be equally important is the signing of veteran receiver Tyrell Williams.
Williams isn’t a complete receiver like Brown, but he does do one thing well: stretch the field. For his career, he’s averaged over 16.3 yards per reception and can take the top off the defense. Due to his home-run ability, Pro Football Focus has recently named him a potential “breakout candidate” in 2019. Take a look at their reasoning behind the prediction below:
Showing his ability to step up to the plate when his team needs him most, (Tyrell) Williams caught 69-of-111 targets for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016, when he was thrust into a primary role in the wake of Keenan Allen’s season-ending injury.
Allen’s return from injury and the emergence of Mike Williams pushed Williams down the pecking order in Los Angeles 2017 and 2018, but he still managed the lead the league’s receivers in deep receiving yards (291) through the first seven weeks of the 2018 season, something that should pair nicely with Derek Carr’s ability to find the open man deep down the field. Since 2016, Carr’s 45.9 adjusted completion percentage on passes targeted at least 20-yards downfield ranks fourth among all qualifying quarterbacks in that span.
If Williams can continue to be highly efficient down the field like he was in Los Angeles, he could open up routes underneath for the likes of Jalen Richard, Hunter Renfrow and others. Williams may not put up elite numbers in Oakland, but his impact on the team could prove to be vital.
Look for Williams to continue to be one of the most efficient and important receivers in the NFL now that he is with the Raiders.
