Could the Chargers be dreaming of a Williams-Herbert connection?

Yahoo Fantasy's Liz Loza and Matt Harmon break down L.A.'s decision to option the wide receiver for his fifth season, and how his skills could pair up with the team's first round draft pick.

Video Transcript

LIZ LOZA: The Chargers exercise Mike Williams' fifth-year option for 2021. You know, we talked a little bit about Mike Williams when we discussed Justin Herbert after the first round of the NFL draft because obviously Herbert's arm would be a nice fit for Mike Williams.

And I went back and did a little bit of digging on Mike Williams' statistics, and this is per SIS. In 2019, Williams drew 90 targets. So that's more than I was-- I was like, wow, Williams had 90 targets? I'm pretty sure he had, like, under 50 catches. That can't be. No. Drew 90 targets. 27 of those-- so 30% basically were considered deep, another, like, pro for having Herbert. But only 60 of those 90 were deemed catchable with Philip Rivers throwing the ball. And of those 60, he converted 49.

So when you look at a player who wins in contested situations, yes, actually has a contested catch rate of 37%, which was wide receiver 24 for that particular metric. That, to me, is all the more evidence. The fact that you're going to exercise this fifth-year option, that, you know, the Chargers are using their 2021 vision and keen on getting Herbert on the field immediately.

And, I mean, I think you said-- and I agreed very, very quickly after the pick was made that you foresaw sort of a Cleveland-esque situation where Tyrod is either hurt or loses the job to Herbert, and Herbert will be a starter within-- you know, it's not unimaginable to even think the first four weeks.

MATT HARMON: Yeah. No, not at all. I think, you know, this is a good offense with, I think, a lot of good, kind of underrated players. And if the left side of the line is shored up, that's going to make a big-- that's the biggest problem, I think, for a deep threat like Mike Williams but does fit really well with this quarterback.

LIZ LOZA: I don't know though. Like, I mean, I sort of-- I keep hearing that, and I understand it. But when you're taking into consideration Herbert's arm-- like, his decision making is problematic, and that has been--

MATT HARMON: Yes.

LIZ LOZA: --discussed ad nauseum. But if your decision making is oh crap, the big guy who wins in contested situations is deep and I've got a cannon. I'm just going to throw it up and let Mike Williams win it for me sit. Let him high point and bring down the 50/50. Like, maybe the left side-- maybe a wonky left side actually doesn't negatively impact you because that's the way it's going to go anyway.

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