BOLD PREDICTION: Mike Williams edition.

[baphamet]

with Hunter Henry now gone for the year the chargers will be missing an over the middle and redzone threat. enter Mike Williams.......

yes health is an issue and question mark for williams at this point but right now he is healthy and will have a full off season to actually practice and get reps with the first team.

I humbly predict that Williams will have more TD's than either sanders or DT.

everyone is sleeping on him but if he can stay healthy i think he will get a lot of redzone targets and more targets over the middle as well.

i wouldn't be surprised to see him get double digit TD's this season.

[Joshua2585]

I think that is a fair prediction. Rivers will need to lean hard on Allen and especially Williams.

[onanygivensunda]

With Jordie Nelson gone in Green Bay, I'd say that Jimmy Graham could well be the 2018 TD leader for receivers in the league.

[Stackhouser]

With Jordie Nelson gone in Green Bay, I'd say that Jimmy Graham could well be the 2018 TD leader for receivers in the league.

That's a fair assessment.... I could easily see that.

[samparnell]

Interesting topic.

In 2017, Philip Rivers played all sixteen games and threw 28 TDs in Ken Whisenhunt's offense. Seven of those were to the TE position; seven to the RB position; and fourteen to the WRs. If the 2018 numbers are comparable, Mike Williams would be competing with Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams for targets, catches and scores. The WRs got 56% of the targets, Backs 22% and TEs 21%.

With Henry out and Gates gone, the TEs will be led by Virgil Green unless they bring Gates back. That might lead to fewer targets for the TE position. If so, which position might get the extras? In view of the fact that Melvin Gordon was the second leading receiver with 83, it could be the Backs. He was also tied with Benjamin, Henry and T.Williams for second most TD receptions (4); Ekeler and Gates had three each.

IDK if Mike Williams will have the most targets, receptions or TDs on his team, much less versus whoever the leading receiver for the Broncos turns out to be.

Case Keenum's passing in Minnesota last year warrants a look as far as favorite receivers are concerned. Denver's eligible receivers from 2017 can be considered, but with a new QB and OC might not be that indicative. Bill Musgrave was calling the O for the last six games of 2017, but he was stuck with McCoy's playbook and terminology. He is installing his offense, so the Raiders O of 2016 might offer a better comparison as far as receiving targets, receptions and scores are concerned.

In fourteen games, Case Keenum threw 22 TDs. As far as I can tell, most of his targets were to WRs, but over a third of his TDs were to TEs. Kyle Rudolph and Stephon Diggs each had eight TD receptions. For the Chargers last year, it was Allen, Gordon, T.Williams, Henry and Gates. For the Vikings it was Thielen, Diggs, Rudolph and McKinnon. For Denver it was Thomas, Sanders, Fowler, Anderson and Booker.

In 2016, the Raiders threw 29 TD passes. The WRs caught 21 of them; the Backs had 3; and, the TEs had 5 (including one Tackle eligible) Under Musgrave, WRs were targeted 65%, Backs 21% and TEs 14%.

This year, Musgrave's TE group is young and untested. They might step up, but it remains to be seen. Denver's Backs are pretty young and untested as well, so we shall need to see if that group has receivers as good or better than Booker. Denver's WRs by far offer Case Keenum the experience, reliability and production to make them desirable targets, and Musgrave has a history calling throws to WRs who are featured in the offense.

Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are arguably as good or better than Oakland's group of 2016 and San Angeles' and Minnesota's WRs last year. Demaryius Thomas led the Broncos in TD receptions last year, and I think he'll do that again in 2018. I'll go out on a limb and boldly predict that he will have more TD receptions than the other receivers on the Broncos and those on the Chargers. IDK if he'll have double digit TDs because Musgrave and Keenum like to spread the receptions out. That's where the unknown of Denver's Backs and TEs comes in.

[baphamet]

IDK if Mike Williams will have the most targets, receptions or TDs on his team, much less versus whoever the leading receiver for the Broncos turns out to be.

i don't think Williams will have the targets or yards some of the other receivers mentioned may have but i can see Williams becoming their #1 RZ target.

you also should consider that unless the chargers go out and grab another pass catching TE, they will certainly be adjusting their offense to compensate. especially considering they have 4 months to do it.

i think Williams can be a mismatch nightmare the same way an athletic TE can.

[samparnell]

i don't think Williams will have the targets or yards some of the other receivers mentioned may have but i can see Williams becoming their #1 RZ target.

you also should consider that unless the chargers go out and grab another pass catching TE, they will certainly be adjusting their offense to compensate. especially considering they have 4 months to do it.

i think Williams can be a mismatch nightmare the same way an athletic TE can.

Mike Williams is a good player and a big receiver. He could pick up the slack from the TE position as he is about as big as one. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[DevilSpawn]

I would like to throw Amari or Jordy into this mix. Not sure which one yet. Stay tuned...

[samparnell]

I would like to throw Amari or Jordy into this mix. Not sure which one yet. Stay tuned...

Those would seem to be the likely candidates for most TD receptions since comparable RZ threats don't seem currently present among the Backs and TEs. The last time Greg Olson was OC for a whole season was 2015 with the Jags. The guys who had the most TD receptions for Jacksonville that year were both WRs: Allen Robinson who caught 80 of 151 targets for 1400 yards and 14 TDs; and, Allen Hurns who caught 64 of 105 targets for 1031 yards and 10 TDs.

The Broncos and Raiders seem likely to rely on their WRs unless a Back or TE steps up. The Chargers have several WRs plus Gordon. It's bad luck they have lost Henry this season. Who cultivates a viable rushing attack for a balanced offense will probably have the edge.

[-Rod-]

Okay, here is a bold prediction:

Jake Butt will have more receiving TDs than Mike Williams this season.

[baphamet]

I would like to throw Amari or Jordy into this mix. Not sure which one yet. Stay tuned...

i would say cooper way before nelson. i see cooper having a good year if health permits.

[58Miller]

Isn’t this a fun thread!!! Everybody agreeing and adding to each other’s take with encouragement!

Well let me add some smack!!!
This Bold Prediction of Baphs is not BOLD compared to when he said it was arguable that Geno Smith would be the best Qb on the Broncos right now, then when he realized what he said he backed that up with “ Geno won’t even make the Chargers roster!”

To this lesser bold prediction:
“Mike Williams won’t have more tds than the leading receiver on Denver this year, and the truth is Mike Williams would be 4th or 5th on our depth chart ( not arguably)!!!!”

Keep adding the pile of doo doo 💩 you are throwing at the wall hoping something will stick because a lot of it is going to come back on you forcing multiple business trips!!!

[hardwork]

Which receiver will have the most TDs?

Why



of course.

[samparnell]

Okay, here is a bold prediction:

Jake Butt will have more receiving TDs than Mike Williams this season.

That's one of the questions for Denver's O this year: How well will the young TEs step up?

[Butler By'Note]

Which receiver will have the most TDs?

Why



of course.

Glass man is about due to have a season where he plays about 8 games. He's the injured wonder.

There's no doubt he's the best TE in the league, but he still gets a lot of accolades based on 2011, when he had 17 touchdowns. And incidentally was the last time he played all 16 games.

I'm going to make two bold predictions: 1. He misses at least 5 games in 2018. 2. He continues coming back down towards the pack in 2018, to the point where there's legitimate questions as to whether Belichick will keep him around in 2019...assuming he doesn't retire first.