The Los Angeles Chargers are set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in their Wild Card Weekend game on Saturday, but they will be without one of their top offensive players. Wide receiver Mike Williams has been ruled out for the game due to a back injury. According to ESPN, Williams suffered a fracture in his back that is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks, meaning it’s unlikely he will play again this season.
The injury occurred during the team’s Week 18 loss to the division rival Denver Broncos. Despite the Chargers being locked into the AFC’s No. 5 seed, the team elected to play numerous starters deep into the game, including Williams, Keenan Allen, and Justin Herbert. This decision has come under heavy criticism in the wake of Williams’ injury, with many questioning why the starters were playing in a meaningless game.
Williams had also missed four games earlier in the season due to a high-ankle sprain. He initially tried to return from the injury after missing two games, but re-injured it after playing just six snaps in a game against the Chiefs. He missed one more game before returning to the field and catching 25 passes for 385 yards and a touchdown across the final five games of the season.
Who will replace Williams?
With Williams out, the Chargers will have to rely on other players to step up. Josh Palmer is expected to take on a larger workload in Williams’ absence, while DeAndre Carter could also play more snaps. Despite the criticism, coach Brandon Staley has said he “stands behind” the way the Chargers handled the Week 18 game, stating that it is difficult to decide who plays and who doesn’t and who’s more valuable than the rest.
