Best Ball Guy used Mike Williams as the poster child for what not to do in the double-digit rounds. He regretted selecting the veteran—along with other "safe" names like Josh Reynolds, Keenan Allen, and Amari Cooper—arguing those picks cap a roster’s first-place equity. His logic: if you have already "hit the nuts" with early-round values, you should swing for ceiling later by drafting breakouts such as Troy Franklin instead of chasing projected volume from aging receivers. In large-field best-ball tournaments, one unexpected spike week from an unproven rookie can decide everything; conservative Williams-type picks rarely move the needle. His takeaway was to fade late-round floor plays and prioritize high-variance prospects who can actually win a playoff week.

Davis Mattek warned drafters not to force Mike Williams into Justin Herbert stacks, saying the veteran is "pretty live to just retire." Mattek cited Williams’ third major knee surgery in four seasons, the Chargers’ refusal to guarantee any of his 2024 salary, and ESPN’s own depth chart bumping him behind Joshua Palmer. Even Mike Clay’s otherwise bullish projections only slot Williams for a WR3 target share, and Mattek thinks that is the absolute ceiling. If Williams does come back, he’s a 30-year-old jump-ball specialist in a Greg Roman rush-first scheme, hardly the profile you need in half-PPR best ball. Mattek’s bottom line: take Quentin Johnston or even rookie Jeremiah Hunter later and let someone else pay for 2019 Mike Williams nostalgia.

Davis Mattek told listeners to stop drafting Mike Williams altogether. Williams has not produced more than 46 fantasy points since 2022, was released by both the Jets and Steelers last year, and is still limited by the knee injury Mattek believes ‘ended the Mike Williams experience.’ Even in a best-case scenario, Mattek projects Williams as a capped 14-point flex play, production you can already replicate with younger options like Wan’Dale Robinson. With no team commitment, lingering health concerns, and virtually no week-winning ceiling, Mattek advised reallocating those late-round picks to high-variance rookies instead of clinging to a declining veteran.