When the Raiders signed Tyrell Williams in the offseason, the idea was to make him the team’s No. 2 receiver opposite of Antonio Brown. But just days before the team’s season opener, Oakland released Brown and Williams was elevated to the team’s No. 1 receiver.
That type of ascension is somewhat uncommon for receivers. In Los Angeles, Williams was typically used as the No. 3 receiver behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. But in Oakland, he has to become the team’s top receiver.
Through three weeks, Williams has caught 14 passes for 180 yards. He’s also caught a touchdown in every single game, including one in Week 3 in the final minutes of the game. Take a look at his third touchdown of the season against the Vikings:
As the season continues, the Raiders are going to need to continue to rely on Williams to beat the opponent’s best cornerbacks. That could prove to be a tall task, but Williams has held up well so far. Look for the fifth-year receiver from Western Oregon to continue to be Derek Carr’s most-trusted receiver in this offense.
