NYJ New York Jets · WR· #18 · also punt returner, kick returner

Isaiah Williams

Age
25
Height
5'10"
Weight
185 lbs
College
Illinois
Drafted
Not drafted
Experience
3rd NFL season

52

Overall grade

34th of 94 wide receivers

Above typical

about average; 50 is average

Grades updated Rechecked every few hours on game days

The read

Isaiah grades about average among wide receivers so far, with no number far from the middle.

Lately he is playing better. Yards after catch over expected is +6.7 yds over the last 2 games (3 catches), against −2.4 yds before that. A few plays could easily explain this. Worth watching, not worth believing yet.

Role is growing: When he plays he is on the field for about 9 of every 10 plays lately, up from about 8 of every 10 plays before.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 5 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the wide receivers in the league.

  • Drop rate0.0%1st of 85small sample
  • Catches over expected+11.1 pts17th of 94small sample
  • Yards after catch over expected+0.1 yds21st of 83small sample
  • EPA per target+0.5225th of 94small sample
  • Share of the team's passes9%87th of 94

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying wide receivers. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among wide receivers after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 3: 52nd percentileWeek 4: 82nd percentileWeek 5: 74th percentile74th

Season rank climbed: 52nd to 74th percentile since Wk 3.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per target game by game
WeekOpponentThat gametargetsSeason rank after
1vs TEN+0.211–
2vs GB−0.016–
3vs DET+1.32252nd pct
4vs CHI+1.80382nd pct
5vs CLE−0.47274th pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 3 targets can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every wide receiver with at least 12 targets. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per target

Above typical

+0.52

25th of 94 wide receivers · top 27%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. Every target counts, caught or not, so a receiver cannot hide behind a catch total.

The box score: Receiving yards rise with targets, not with what the targets were worth.

Does it show up in winning? Across 208 games league-wide, teams won 64% of the time when their wide receiver was in the best third on EPA per target, and 36% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +0.89 (5) vs +0.31 before+10.0grade points upWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 14 targets · true level likely −0.16 to +1.20

Catches over expected

Well above typical

+11.1 pts

17th of 94 wide receivers · top 19%

His catch rate compared with what each target's difficulty predicted. +4 means he catches 4 more of every 100 targets than the throws suggested.

The box score: Catch rate rewards the receiver who is only thrown easy passes.

Does it show up in winning? Across 207 games league-wide, teams won 62% of the time when their wide receiver was in the best third on catches over expected, and 39% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +3.6 pts (5) vs +15.2 pts before−8.7grade points downWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 14 targets · true level likely −8.3 pts to +30.4 pts

Yards after catch over expected

Well above typical

+0.1 yds

21st of 83 wide receivers · top 26%

The yards he gains after the catch compared with what a typical receiver gets from that spot. It separates the player who makes defenders miss from the one who is simply open.

The box score: Yards after the catch is a total, not a comparison with where he caught it.

Does it show up in winning? Across 176 games league-wide, a good or bad game on yards after catch over expected from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (49% wins in the best third, 58% in the worst).

Last 2 games: +6.7 yds (3) vs −2.4 yds before+32.0grade points upA clear change

Small sample: could move a lot · 11 catches · true level likely −2.9 yds to +3.1 yds

Drop rate

Elite

0.0%lower is better

1st of 85 wide receivers · top 2%

Passes charted as drops, per target. Fewer is better. Almost everyone has few, so it is shown but not counted in his overall grade.

The box score: Drops are not an official stat.

Does it show up in winning? Across 174 games league-wide, a good or bad game on drop rate from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (50% wins in the best third, 48% in the worst).

Last 2 games: 0.0% (3) vs 0.0% before

Small sample: could move a lot · 12 targets · true level likely -12.2% to 12.2%

Share of the team's passes

Among the weakest

9%

87th of 94 wide receivers · bottom 9%

The portion of his team's pass attempts that were thrown to him, in the games he was targeted. It shows whether he is the focus of the offense.

The box score: Targets and receptions do not say how big the offense's passing game was.

Does it show up in winning? Across 425 games league-wide, a good or bad game on share of the team's passes from a wide receiver has not lined up much with his team winning (56% wins in the best third, 54% in the worst).

Last 2 games: 10% (5) vs 8% before+2.0grade points upWithin the noise

Sample still growing · 14 targets · true level likely 5% to 12%

How he plays

Tendencies: how his game differs from the wide receivers around him. These are not better or worse, only different, and often say as much about the offense or defense he plays in as about him.

Average depth of target

Style

9.1 yds

Works the short game, more than most wide receivers. A typical one is 11.7 yds.

How far downfield his targets are, on average. It is a role, not a grade.

Small sample: could move a lot · 14 targets

Deep targets

Style

21%

Right around the middle of wide receivers: a typical one is 19%.

The share of his targets that are 20 or more yards downfield.

Small sample: could move a lot · 14 targets

Contested targets

Style

25%

Gets targeted in tight coverage, more than most wide receivers. A typical one is 18%.

The share of his targets charted as contested: a defender is on him at the catch point. It says how he is used, not whether he wins.

Small sample: could move a lot · 12 targets

Screen targets

Style

25%

Is a screen target often, and more so than almost any of the wide receivers. A typical one is 5%.

The share of his targets that are screen passes, a sign his yards come from the offense's design.

Small sample: could move a lot · 12 targets

Playing time

He has played in 4 of his team's 4 games with snap counts, on the field for about 81% of the team's offensive plays when he plays.

Role is growing. When he plays he is on the field for about 9 of every 10 plays lately, up from about 8 of every 10 plays before.

Each column is a game: the share of his team's offensive snaps he played. 80% means about 8 of every 10 plays. “Out” means he did not play; a question mark means snap counts are not posted yet. Shaded games are the recent stretch.

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Isaiah Williams game by game
GameResultSnapsTgtRecYdsTDEPA/targetCROEYAC over exp.Target share
Wk 1 vs TENW 23–1060%1170+0.21+29.4 pts−3.4 yds4%
Wk 2 vs GBL 17–2082%66340−0.01+21.9 pts−1.7 yds15%
Wk 3 vs DETL 24–3189%21210+1.32−12.0 pts−5.5 yds5%
Wk 4 vs CHIL 12–2394%32731+1.80+6.3 pts+8.2 yds17%
Wk 5 vs CLEW 17–12–21160−0.47−0.3 pts+3.6 yds6%

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among wide receivers. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Isaiah Williams box score totals
StatTotalRank
Targets1484th of 94
Receptions1167th of 94
Receiving yards15163rd of 94
Receiving touchdowns131st of 94

Players with a similar profile

The wide receivers whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

As a punt returner

Points added each time he fields a punt.

The read

Isaiah grades about average among punt returners so far, with no number far from the middle.

Lately he is playing better. Yards per return is 16.8 yds over the last 2 games (4 returns), against 9.7 yds before that. A few plays could easily explain this. Worth watching, not worth believing yet.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 4 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the punt returners in the league.

  • Yards per return13.7 yds5th of 24small sample
  • EPA per punt fielded−0.0124th of 34small sample

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying punt returners. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among punt returners after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 1: 80th percentileWeek 2: 25th percentileWeek 3: 25th percentileWeek 5: 30th percentile30th

Season rank slipped: 80th to 30th percentile since Wk 1.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per punt fielded game by game
WeekOpponentThat gamepuntsSeason rank after
1vs TEN+0.32380th pct
2vs GB−1.22125th pct
3vs DET−0.02125th pct
5vs CLE+0.03530th pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 3 punts can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every punt returner with at least 5 punts fielded. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per punt fielded

Below typical

−0.01

24th of 34 punt returners · bottom 33%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. From his team's side, for every punt he fields, fair catches included.

The box score: Return average ignores fair catches and the starting field position.

Does it show up in winning? Across 54 games league-wide, a good or bad game on EPA per punt fielded from a punt returner has not lined up much with his team winning (61% wins in the best third, 53% in the worst).

Last 2 games: +0.03 (5) vs −0.06 before+7.0grade points upWithin the noise

Small sample: could move a lot · 10 punts · true level likely −0.43 to +0.40

Yards per return

Well above typical

13.7 yds

5th of 24 punt returners · top 21%

Average yards when he returns the punt (fair catches excluded).

The box score: This is the box score number.

Last 2 games: 16.8 yds (4) vs 9.7 yds before+13.7grade points upLeaning that way

Small sample: could move a lot · 7 returns · true level likely 8.7 yds to 18.7 yds

How he plays

Tendencies: how his game differs from the punt returners around him. These are not better or worse, only different, and often say as much about the offense or defense he plays in as about him.

Fair catch rate

Style

30%

Returns almost everything, more than most punt returners. A typical one is 41%.

How often he fair catches instead of returning, a choice about risk.

Small sample: could move a lot · 10 punts

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Isaiah Williams game by game
GameResultFieldedYdsEPA/puntYds/return
Wk 1 vs TENW 23–10329+0.3214.5 yds
Wk 2 vs GBL 17–2010−1.220.0 yds
Wk 3 vs DETL 24–3110−0.02–
Wk 5 vs CLEW 17–12567+0.0316.8 yds

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among punt returners. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Isaiah Williams box score totals
StatTotalRank
Punts fielded1016th of 34
Return yards965th of 34

Players with a similar profile

The punt returners whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

As a kick returner

Points added and yards gained on kickoff returns.

The read

Isaiah grades about average among kick returners so far, with no number far from the middle.

Written from his numbers, not from film. 4 games are behind the season figures.

How he stacks up

Every graded stat at a glance, against all the kick returners in the league.

  • EPA per return+0.4114th of 53small sample
  • Yards per return25.6 yds31st of 53small sample

Left is the worst at his job, right is the best, and the line down the middle is average. The bubble is his percentile: 90 means better than nine in ten qualifying kick returners. Faded bars are still small samples.

How he has progressed

Where he has ranked among kick returners after each week, and every game behind it.

WorstMiddleBestrecent12345Week 2: 64th percentileWeek 3: 55th percentileWeek 4: 60th percentileWeek 5: 75th percentile75th

Season rank climbed: 64th to 75th percentile since Wk 2.

The line is his season-to-date rank among players at his position after each week, from 100 (the best) to 0 (the worst). It rises when he passes other players, not when he has one big game. Early weeks are noisier because fewer plays are behind them. The shaded weeks are the recent stretch.

EPA per return game by game
WeekOpponentThat gamereturnsSeason rank after
2vs GB+0.37464th pct
3vs DET+0.23455th pct
4vs CHI+0.48160th pct
5vs CLE+1.26175th pct

One game is a small sample: a single stat over 3 returns can swing on a handful of plays. Shaded rows are the recent stretch.

The numbers, in context

Each one against every kick returner with at least 5 returns. Right on the strip is better.

EPA per return

Well above typical

+0.41

14th of 53 kick returners · top 27%

Expected points added: how many points the play added to (or took from) the offense's scoring chances, given the down, the distance and the field position. From his team's side, for each kickoff he returns.

The box score: Return average ignores the starting field position the team would have had anyway.

Does it show up in winning? Across 82 games league-wide, teams won 54% of the time when their kick returner was in the best third on EPA per return, and 30% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: +0.87 (2) vs +0.30 before

Small sample: could move a lot · 10 returns · true level likely −0.01 to +0.83

Yards per return

Typical

25.6 yds

31st of 53 kick returners · bottom 44%

Average yards per kickoff return.

The box score: This is the box score number.

Does it show up in winning? Across 82 games league-wide, teams won 63% of the time when their kick returner was in the best third on yards per return, and 30% when he was in the worst third.

Last 2 games: 29.0 yds (2) vs 24.8 yds before

Small sample: could move a lot · 10 returns · true level likely 20.9 yds to 30.3 yds

Game by game

Every game this season: how it ended for his team, how much he played, his box score, and the advanced numbers from that one game. One game is a small sample, so read the right-hand columns as a snapshot, not his level.

Isaiah Williams game by game
GameResultRetYdsEPA/returnYds/return
Wk 2 vs GBL 17–204103+0.3725.8 yds
Wk 3 vs DETL 24–31495+0.2323.8 yds
Wk 4 vs CHIL 12–23122+0.4822.0 yds
Wk 5 vs CLEW 17–12136+1.2636.0 yds

The box score

The traditional totals, with where each ranks among kick returners. A total rewards volume, which is why the advanced numbers above matter.

Isaiah Williams box score totals
StatTotalRank
Returns1018th of 53
Return yards25622nd of 53

Players with a similar profile

The kick returners whose grades are closest to his across the same stats. Similar means similar numbers, not the same style of play.

Ranks are among players at the same job who have enough plays to be graded. Grades and rankings come from play-by-play, charting and snap-count data, so they cannot see blocking, route running or assignments. See how the grades work.

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Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.