Debate rages on as to what the Washington Commanders should do about their wide receiver room, even after selecting Clemson's Antonio Williams with the No. 71 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The team boasts one Pro Bowl-level talent in Terry McLaurin, and then a bunch of role players. That might be enough, but if the former Ohio State star gets hurt again, the Commanders have a big problem on their hands.
However, one NFL analyst believes Williams could solve more issues than originally anticipated.
Antonio Williams could thrive immediately amid the Commanders' offensive overhaul
The hot rumor is that Washington will add Brandon Aiyuk at some point this offseason, once the San Francisco 49ers finally decide to release him. But the Commanders' 2025 season was sunk by choosing name value over in-house development, and they don't need to make that mistake again.
The Commanders made the NFC Championship game only two seasons ago with Noah Brown and Dyami Brown as their No. 2 and No. 3 wide receivers. They now have a trio of young wideouts in Williams, Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane who are all of similar skillsets, and Washington is just waiting for one of them to break out.
Of the three, the newest addition seems the likeliest.
In a way, the Commanders are banking on Williams to be what they have expected McCaffrey and Lane to be. He's primarily a slot receiver, and he'll be called upon to create separation in the passing game. Matt Harmon of Yahoo Sports thinks new coordinator David Blough is just what Washington needs to unlock him.
The Commanders are transitioning to a pro-style offense under David Blough. Matt Harmon thinks this will open things up for new options like Antonio Williams. pic.twitter.com/3BIK4ngqLC
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) May 4, 2026
Under Blough, as Harmon describes, Washington should be expected to run an offense similar to that of the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears under Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson, respectively. That means creativity. It means play action. It means establishing the run, then pushing the ball downfield with everybody involved.
This strategy stands to benefit secondary playmakers in the receiving game, with Williams immediately rising to the top of that list. The Clemson product was a pass-catching machine during his four college seasons, racking up 2,336 receiving yards on 208 receptions with 21 touchdowns.
Whether as the No. 2 or No. 3 wideout on Washington's roster, he should be a high-volume contributor.
The Commanders are going to need someone beyond McLaurin to step up, especially with the 30-year-old coming off an injury-riddled season in 2025. Williams might not have a very high ceiling as a future WR1, but he has all of the tools to be the exact type of supporting piece Washington needs.
It hasn't quite worked out with McCaffrey and Lane as yet, who are, to their credit, exceptional return team specialists. We'll see if the third try is the charm with Williams.
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