Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams sustained a season-ending knee injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.
Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network reported that Williams underwent an MRI on Monday morning to gauge the severity of the injury. The MRI confirmed a torn ACL.
Williams will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
Bolts Beat Vikings, Lose Williams
In a battle of winless teams, the Chargers defeated the Vikings for their first victory of the season. The Chargers held off a late drive from the Vikings to avoid an 0-3 start.
Prior to his injury, Williams caught seven passes for 121 yards and one touchdown against the Vikings. Williams went down with a knee injury in the third quarter on a screen pass. He was carted to the locker room with a towel over his head.
Such a devastating loss,” said quarterback Justin Herbert. “You hate to see guys go down, especially Mike. But he’s a fighter and will be back as soon as he can.”
In three games this season, Williams contributed 19 receptions for 249 yards and one touchdown.
Williams missed a playoff game last season because of a back injury. He suffered a microfracture in his back in the final game of the 2022 regular season. He also missed several weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
The Chargers selected Williams with the #7 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Since he joined the Chargers, Williams has been a part of a dangerous wide receiver tandem with veteran Keenan Allen.
In 2018, Williams scored 10 touchdowns in his second season. In 2021, Williams scored nine touchdowns. When Allen missed time with injuries, Williams stepped up and took over as WR #1 on the depth chart.
Meanwhile, Allen had a sensational performance in a win against the Vikings. He caught 18 passes for 215 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown but he tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass on a trick play involving Williams.
Betting the 1-2 Chargers
The Chargers were already shorthanded without starting running back Austin Ekeler, who missed the last two games with an ankle injury. There’s no timetable for Ekeler’s return, but the Chargers hope he can play soon. Backup running back Joshua Kelley filled in for Ekeler as the starter against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2 and the Vikings in Week 3.
Joshua Palmer began the season as WR #3 and will replace Williams as WR #2. Rookie wide receiver Quention Johnston will get his shot to make an impact when the Chargers host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Johnston made only five catches for 26 yards this season.
The Chargers opened as a -4.5 favorite against the Raiders but they won’t have much of a home-field advantage at SoFi Stadium. The Raiders have a rabid legion of fans, especially in Southern California, where they played in Los Angeles for 12 seasons between 1982 and 1994.
The Chargers have a win total of 9.5 over/under this season, even after starting out with two losses. They’re currently +110 odds to make the playoffs, and -135 odds to miss the postseason.
The Chargers were 10-7 last season and advanced to the playoffs as an AFC wild-card team. They lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round.
The Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) are the betting favorite to win the AFC West at -300 odds. The Chargers are +350 odds to win the division, and they’re ahead of the Raiders (1-2) at +1100 and the Denver Broncos (0-3) at +3000.
The Chargers saw their Super Bowl LVIII futures dip from +2500 odds to +3000 after a slow start. They’re now +1500 odds to win the AFC Championship.
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