Antonio Williams stat challenges what Commanders fans think they know

Antonio Williams is the obvious next man up for the Washington Commanders after Terry McLaurin's devastating knee injury, but the rookie wide receiver's ability to impact Week 8's game against the Philadelphia Eagles is being underrated.

Mostly because of a misconception about what makes the third-round pick effective.

Williams is often classified as a slot receiver. While the former Clemson star does some of his best work running routes between the numbers from the inside, a hidden stat shows he is also becoming a true playmaker in another area.

Antonio Williams stat can inspire Terry McLaurin replacement act against the Eagles

This growth is the key to the Commanders helping seven-time 1,000-yard receiver Stefon Diggs to replace McLaurin and heap more misery on the free-falling Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

The numbers that show Williams can adequately replace McLaurin were spelled out by ESPN's John Keim:

"More than five yards of separation, he (Antonio Williams) has had 24 such routes this year where he's considered wide open. Only one person had more, and that's Terry McLaurin. But in the last three games, he has 15. Williams has 15 such routes, and that's the most on the team."

These numbers support what offensive coordinator David Blough is seeing from Williams. The first-year play-caller already views the wideout as a magnet for more targets while McLaurin's out, per The Washington Post's Tashan Reed.

Even if Williams doesn't get those perimeter targets as often as McLaurin, he's already showing one reason quarterback Jayden Daniels should look his way early and often this week.

Daniels won't care where he sees Williams, but the Commanders still need a big-play threat on the outside.

Williams is ready to assume that role.

"I would feel like, like on a lot of outside routes right now, I feel a lot, very confident. I played a lot in the slot last year in college, and now I feel like I'm going against the best of the best, and I really feel like I'm uncovering more out there on the outside."

Daniels and Williams are already building their perimeter attack. The best evidence of their growing chemistry is this 20-plus yard completion on an out route against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6.

Antonio Williams must pick up the slack with Commanders' losing Terry McLaurin

This was the biggest gain from Williams' three catches for 50 receiving yards on Monday Night Football, but the grab did more than underscore his burgeoning aptitude as a chain-mover on football's money down. It's also proof he is getting more and more comfortable working closer to the sideline.

Why's that important?

Because it means Williams can let the Commanders use Diggs in a different way.

Diggs can also be prolific from the slot, and he'll draw attention running crossing patterns against an Eagles' defense designed to flood the middle of the field with pattern-matching defenders in zone coverage.

That tendency will suit Williams and fellow wideout Treylon Burks, who's making his own share of plays on the outside. Like this comeback route against the Niners.

Burks, who is expected to play despite being listed as questionable, and Williams can stretch the Eagles' zone shells. Maybe not in the same vertical way McLaurin would have, but laterally enough for Diggs and tight end Chig Okonkwo to make some conversions over the middle.

The combination depends on Williams building on his promising showing in the Bay Area and assuming the mantle vacated in McLaurin's absence.

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