Report: Mike Williams a game-time decision for Week 1 with shoulder injury

The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping to have wide receiver Mike Williams available for Week 1, but his status remains uncertain. Head coach Anthony Lynn said on Monday that Williams is likely to be a game-time decision this weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to reporter Joe Reedy.

Williams is dealing with a shoulder injury that is being described as an AC joint sprain. In late August, the timeline was suggested at two to four weeks, but a team source told Daniel Popper a four-to-six week timeline was more realistic. More concerning, the team was “preparing for the possibility of playing without Williams for the majority of September.”

If Williams is unable to play, Jalen Guyton and Joe Reed are the two receivers likely to most benefit. Popper projected Guyton as the starter following a training camp in which he got extensive work up the depth chart. The team spent a fifth round pick on Reed and he brings some versatility once he gets the ball in his hands both as a receiver and as a rusher.

Keenan Allen, Hunter Henry, and Austin Ekeler are the must-starts in the Chargers offense. Williams can be hit-or-miss, and if he sits out, Guyton and Reed are receivers to monitor, but not start.