Could Preston Williams be set up perfectly for a breakout season?

In 2019, Dolphins Wide Receiver Preston Williams came out of nowhere to prove as a reliable asset for the Miami. But when the team finally picked up its first win of the 2018 season in week nine over the Jets, it came at a large price. Williams was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

But this past month, the Miami Herald reported that Williams is on track to return by Miami’s regular season opener. Although the receiver hasn’t started drills with the team yet, Williams has begun jogging. By the time week one rolls around on September 13 with a trip to Foxborough, it will have been over 10 months since he sustained the season-ending injury.

Due to the fact that Williams is still in the recovery stage, the receiver is allowed to still use team facilities, per NFL rules. Only coaches and recovering players are allowed to use the facilities during this hiatus.

As an undrafted free agent signing, Williams burst onto the scene, racking up 428 yards on 32 receptions in the eight games he played. Before going down halfway through the season, he was on pace for nearly 900 yards in his first season. Better yet, he played alongside DeVante Parker, whose 1202-yard breakout campaign surely helped the rookie get better targets. With Williams the clear-cut second option at receiver heading into the 2020 season, expect that trend to continue.

The rapid growth of both Williams and Parker in 2019 allowed Chris Grier to focus on other positions during the NFL Draft and free agency period.

The biggest variable for Williams won’t likely be his share of targets, but his health. Although the wideout is ahead of schedule on his recovery, it’s crucial the Dolphins don’t rush him back. It’s unclear whether Williams will play in the preseason at all as of right now.

Whenever Williams is finally able to get back on the field, Miami is getting a dependable second receiver on the outside to go with Parker.