Chargers: Mike Williams an early favorite for Comeback Player of the Year

The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Mike Williams with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and will finally see what he can really do next season.

The Los Angeles Chargers are going to be very fun to watch next season. A mixture of elite pass-rushing, a lockdown secondary and an explosive offense makes the Chargers one of the most well-rounded teams in the league.

Led by Philip Rivers, the offense has distinct playmakers such as Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin and second-year wide receiver, Mike Williams.

Mike Williams is the playmaker with the most to prove next season. Williams entered the 2017 NFL Draft as the highest touted wide receiver in the class. When he fell to the Chargers with the seventh overall pick, the front office had no choice but to select him.

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Williams was not only expected to be a playmaker in year one, he was expected to eventually be the heir to Allen in the receiving corps. Allen, who has battled injuries his entire career, was challenged with this selection. He responded with his best season yet.

However, that season came without Williams on the field, who missed a lot of the season due to injury. When Williams was on the field, he seemed uncomfortable and really could not get in a groove on an offense he did not spend much game time on.

It is a new year though and Williams seems to be completely healthy. Finally, the Chargers are seeing the potential of Williams come to life; the second-year receiver is thriving in training camp.

On Saturday, the Chargers had a blue-white scrimmage in which Williams had two touchdown receptions. Granted, it is training camp, but this is a complete change of pace from last season when Williams could not even participate.

Allen and Williams have the potential to be the best 1-2 punch in the NFL. With Tyrell Williams in the slot as the deep threat, Rivers would easily have the best trio of targets in the league.

Playing alongside other great receivers and catching passes from a Hall of Fame quarterback is certainly going to help Williams. Because of all these external factors, and his obvious comfort in the offense, Williams is going to have a Pro Bowl-caliber season next year.

This season is also going to be good enough to win Comeback Player of the Year. This would mark two consecutive Chargers to win the award as Allen took home the honors last season.

While Williams may not set an NFL record like Allen did last season, he could potentially flirt with the 1000-yard receiving mark and is going to be a huge vertical threat in the end zone for Rivers.

Williams is going to make a difference and he is going to make the Chargers’ offense extremely hard to stop.

Charger fans did not get the rookie season they expected out of Mike Williams last season. However, Williams will more than make up for it in his sophomore season.