Will Chargers WR Mike Williams Win Offensive Rookie of the Year?

What are the chances that, with the 7th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers drafted the player that will eventually go on to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY) Award? Not great, actually.

Before the draft, NFL.com had ranked Mike Williams as possibly the most likely rookie to win the award. Now, he’s ranked 4th amongst offensive rookies, and for good reason...

Williams is walking into an offense that will already feature Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Hunter Henry, Antonio Gates, and a returning Keenan Allen. Even if he has a positive impact every time he touches the ball, it’s going to be difficult for him to have the largest impact of any offensive rookie this year.

Let’s see where Vegas has the odds for the OROY Award:

+450 Leonard Fournette
+550 Christian McCaffrey
+550 Deshaun Watson
+700 Dalvin Cook
+800 Corey Davis
+1200 Mike Williams

I mean, that just makes sense. If the Jaguars offense is suddenly good, Fournette will get the credit. If the Panthers bounce back, McCaffrey will get a ton of the credit. If the Texans are actually any good, Deshaun Watson is going to be talked about as “the next great QB”.

Outside of injuries or a dramatic drop in production from the guys that were here before him, Mike Williams will be just another piece to an already high-powered Chargers offense. While that’s great for wins and losses, and was the reason he’s drafted, don’t count on him winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2017.