New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recently said that rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams "continues to practice well" and is "doing a really good job of understanding his assignments," per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Williams has had a limited impact through the first six weeks of his career, recording two catches for 20 yards on four targets. However, it appears as though the team is happy with his progress and sees him as an important piece going forward. For now, Williams appears to be behind Stefon Diggs (chest), Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Mack Hollins on the depth chart at wide receiver in New England. He should remain off of the radar of redraft fantasy managers for the time being, but Williams maintains appeal in dynasty leagues.
Oct 17, 2025 10:38 AM EST
New England Patriots rookie receiver Kyle Williams has yet to take 15 snaps in a game, and he hasn't seen a target since Week 3 against the Steelers, but his speed and quick release have shown up on film, and there's a chance his role could increase shortly. In Sunday night's win against the Bills, 90% of Williams' snaps came on passing plays, with the majority coming in the second half. Representing an element of speed that the Patriots' receivers room is otherwise lacking, he helped to create space for teammate Stefon Diggs on a night in which the veteran was targeted a season-high 12 times. With the Patriots traveling to New Orleans on Sunday, it's unlikely that Williams sees a breakout against a defense whose objective has been to keep everything in front of them, but should the rookie continue to do the things asked of him, he may see an increase in targets in the coming weeks.
Oct 10, 2025 4:05 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams is still waiting for his breakout opportunity. Through four weeks, Williams has seen just two targets while playing only 16% of the team's snaps, slotting in as the fifth receiver in the rotation. The rookie has remained patient, saying, "I feel like I can do everything. At this point, it's just waiting for my turn." Encouragingly, Williams logged a season-high 31% snap share in Week 4, which suggests he may have leapfrogged DeMario Douglas, who regressed from 37% in Week 3 to 16% in Week 4. Williams will look to carve out a larger role in Week 5's primetime matchup against the undefeated Buffalo Bills.
Oct 2, 2025 10:38 AM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams has had a quiet start to his NFL career. Through three games, he has caught both of his targets for 20 yards and has yet to play more than 10 snaps in a game. Williams currently sits behind Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and DeMario Douglas on the depth chart, leaving him buried in the receiver rotation. The situation is made worse by the Patriots' offensive tendencies, as four of their top six leaders in receiving yards are tight ends or running backs. It's clear that Williams isn't a meaningful part of the passing attack yet, and his fantasy value is virtually nonexistent. Williams can safely be dropped in all redraft formats, though he still carries some long-term appeal in dynasty or keeper leagues.
Sep 24, 2025 10:06 AM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams has yet to carve out a meaningful role in the offense. Through the first two games of the season, the 2025 third-round pick has been on the field for just 13% of the team's snaps and has only one target to show for it. Williams has been buried on the depth chart behind veterans Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and younger receivers Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas, all of whom have earned more consistent playing time. Until his role grows, Williams holds little fantasy appeal and is droppable in most formats.
Sep 16, 2025 8:36 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams (head/undisclosed) was "sidelined by injury just as it seemed he was grasping the offense," according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Williams was forced out of New England's second preseason game after getting hit in the head, and missed the team's third preseason game as a result. However, he returned to the practice field on Sunday and appears to be tracking towards being ready for Week 1. Williams is likely to open the season behind veteran Mack Hollins in the battle for the Patriots' WR3 role alongside Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas. The 22-year-old is a dynamic deep-ball threat with obvious upside, but he reportedly struggled with inconsistency throughout training camp. If Graff's feeling that Williams was starting to catch on before getting injured is correct, the rookie could be ready to make an impact sooner rather than later.
Aug 28, 2025 9:43 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams (undisclosed) returned to practice on Sunday for the first time in a week, per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. Williams was forced out of the team's second preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings after being hit in the head, and as a result, did not participate in the preseason finale against the New York Giants on Thursday. Williams' return to practice is an encouraging sign for his Week 1 availability. The 22-year-old is not expected to start the season as one of the Patriots' top three wide receivers, but he's a big-play threat who could eventually work his way into a larger role.
Aug 24, 2025 2:21 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receivers Kyle Williams (undisclosed), Efton Chism III (ankle, foot) and Kendrick Bourne (leg) have all missed training camp practice the last two days and are unlikely to play in the preseason finale on Thursday night against the New York Giants, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. The same applies to receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (arm, shoulder). Williams, a fifth-rounder this year, should be a lock to make the final 53-man roster, although the 22-year-old pass-catcher probably will find it hard to carve out consistent targets early in his rookie season as long as Stefon Diggs (knee), DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins are healthy. Chism, 23, has also put himself in good position with a strong training camp to make the regular-season roster. However, he is more of a dynasty/keeper stash in fantasy leagues.
Aug 20, 2025 1:32 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams (head) will not practice on Monday, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. Williams left early from the team's preseason game on Saturday after taking a hard hit to the head. A third-round pick out of Washington State, Williams is competing with Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and others for the WR3 role in New England alongside Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas. He has reportedly shown flashes of brilliance but has largely been inconsistent in training camp. As such, missed time for Williams could set him back in the race for playing time in New England. The 22-year-old has clear upside as a downfield threat, but he's unlikely to factor in fantasy in 2025.
Aug 18, 2025 12:08 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams has been "a big-play machine whose hands let him down too much" in training camp so far, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Graff writes that Williams has "more drops than any other Pats receiver" and has made "too many mistakes" to secure the WR3 role in New England. A third-round pick out of Washington State, Williams recorded 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games for the Cougars last season. The Patriots have Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas penciled in atop their wide receiver depth chart, but they're looking for someone to step up on the outside. Williams' main competition in camp is likely veteran Mack Hollins, but Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk could factor in as well. It appears as though Williams will need to be much more consistent throughout the remainder of the preseason to earn consistent playing time as a rookie.
Aug 1, 2025 2:43 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams has been the team's top X receiver during an early walkthrough period at training camp on Saturday, according to Taylor Kyles. Williams, who was taken with the 69th overall pick in the third round of this year's NFL draft, is a burner that could become an interesting downfield threat for second-year quarterback Drake Maye in 2025. The 22-year-old was very productive as a big-play threat at both UNLV and Washington State in college, and he makes up for his lack of size (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) with his speed. New England also added veteran Stefon Diggs in free agency this offseason, but Williams has a leg up as the primary deep threat with no other receiver on the roster really threatening him for that role. He's worth a flier late in drafts in deeper leagues for his big-play potential.
Jul 26, 2025 1:12 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams has flashed his separation skills at practice this week, according to team writer Evan Lazar. The rookie was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Washington State and figures to make an impact right away as part of a weak pass-catching group. The 22-year-old enjoyed the best production of his career in 2024, snagging 70 receptions for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stefon Diggs (knee) is entering his age-31 season and is coming off an ACL tear, while 2024 draft picks, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, failed to show much of anything in their debut campaigns. Williams has a real path toward significant playing time and a healthy target share from quarterback Drake Maye, so his positive practice report is a good sign for his enthusiasts in fantasy football.
May 28, 2025 3:09 PM EST
New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams was impressive during OTAs, according to Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub. "Williams made his presence felt during practice, and seemed especially involved running routes outside the numbers," Barth wrote. "His highlight play came on a deep out when he created significant separation and caught a pass from Maye." We can't put a whole lot of stock into just one offseason observation when there's still more than three months until the regular season, but the Patriots should feel optimistic nonetheless. They've been devoid of wide receiver talent for several years, and Williams could fill a major hole for the team (alongside fellow newcomer Stefon Diggs). New England selected Williams with the fifth pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, investing significant capital in a player they hope can become a starter during his rookie campaign.
May 21, 2025 9:46 AM EST
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the New England Patriots have signed rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams to an undisclosed contract. The 22-year-old was selected with the fifth pick in the third round of April's draft, and projects to immediately compete for snaps in a Patriots' wide receiver corps that offers little behind veteran Stefon Diggs (knee). While Diggs is reportedly working back quickly from a torn ACL, Williams offers lethal playmaking ability as a deep threat. He gives New England's offense a new dimension as they continue to build around young signal-caller Drake Maye. Despite the Washington State product's more diminutive stature, he spent most of his time out wide during his final season in college. It seems likely he'll move into more of a slot role in the NFL, but it shows his versatility and only stands to benefit him as he adjusts to the pros.
May 9, 2025 3:34 PM EST
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