Bolts WR Williams questionable to face Jaguars

COSTA MESA, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams is questionable to play in Saturday night’s wild-card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Williams did not practice all week after suffering a back injury in a regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos.

“He’s progressing, getting treatment,” coach Brandon Staley said Thursday. “Just trying to get him as much rest as possible because of the short time frame of the week, and we’re at the point of the season where the reps aren’t what matters — the rest is — in his case. Just trying to get him as much rest up until game time.”‘

The fifth-seeded Chargers (10-7) are scheduled to kick off against the fourth-seeded Jaguars at 8:15 pm ET on Saturday at TIAA Bank Field. This is their first playoff appearance under Staley, in his second year as coach, and their first since the 2018 season.

Staley said that Williams would make the trip to Jacksonville, Florida, and that he will work out before the game to determine whether he can play.

Williams suffered a contusion in his back Sunday in the second quarter of a 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos, but Staley said that an MRI was negative, not showing any fracture or muscle injury.

Quarterback Justin Herbert this season was forced to navigate multiple games without one or both of his playmaking wide receivers.

Before the back injury, Williams missed four games because of a high ankle sprain, and wide receiver Keenan Allen missed seven games because of a hamstring strain.

Allen and Williams have been available together for only four complete games (Chargers are 4-0 in those matchups) and only 260 plays (23%).

A 2017 first-round draft pick, Williams has caught 63 passes for a team-high 895 yards and four touchdowns this season.