Antonio Williams was lined up on the left side of the Washington Commanders' offense at the Philadelphia Eagles' 17-yard line. He started his route by running out, then shook off the defender covering him with some quick footwork and created just enough space for Jayden Daniels to zip the ball to him at the 1-yard line for his first NFL catch.
It looked like a routine play for the rookie, which is part of the reason why the Commanders drafted him in the third round. They believed the former Clemson Tiger was at an advanced stage in his development for a first-year player, and for his first game, he proved them right by leading the team with 64 yards and a touchdown.
While the Commanders were certainly impressed with his debut, they weren't surprised that he was one of the Commanders' key playmakers. Actually, they have come to expect it from him.
"He's confident, knowing the feel of how to play, in a good way, not in a boastful way or anything, but in a very strong way," Quinn said.
Williams only touched the ball four times in the Commanders' season opener against the Eagles, but he made the most of his opportunities. He was the most efficient receiver on a per-target basis, according to Fantasy Footballers writer Marvin Elequin, beating out the likes of Baltimore Ravens wideout Zay Flowers and Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert. He was also the Commanders' highest-graded offensive player, according to Pro Football Focus, earning a 91.2 that was tied for the second-best grade in the league among receivers.
Williams' catches were as impactful as they were efficient. His first reception, which went down as a 16-yard gain, led to the Commanders' touchdown of the season. His second came on a third-and-14, as he got behind the Eagles' secondary and converted the third down with a 33-yard catch. He started in the slot and breezed past Jihaad Campbell to find the open spot in Philadelphia's coverage, making it an easy read for Daniels.
His third was a 14-yard reception that kept the chains moving on the offense's final drive of the game, but his most important play came later in the series: He caught a low pass from Daniels for the score that set up a potential game-tying two-point conversion. It took some time for the officials to review the play, but the call stood because of how well Williams secured the ball.
"I thought he had a really clear understanding of what it takes in that space," Quinn said. "And I think that goes a lot to his preparation, to the quarterback, to the receivers, to the whole group. I think he's really ready for the challenges."
But the Commanders have always thought that he was ready for the challenges the NFL would present him. Part of Williams' appeal was his advanced route-running nuance and how he used that to create separation in coverage. According to Fantasy Points Data, Williams had the best separation score in the league and the second-best in a single game since 2023.
"He's been displaying all that at camp," Daniels said. "Just a knack to get open plays with quickness, wins versus man and stuff like that. And then go-to moments, man, he made a hell of a catch. So happy to see him and that confidence continue to grow and rise."
It's also worth pointing out that Williams' best moments came in the fourth quarter, when the Commanders were fighting to get back in the game. Quinn said that in that moment, "a lot of things clicked" for Williams.
"I think Antonio has the awareness of that, and it was good to see him really be comfortable in a big moment."
It will be interesting to see what comes next for Williams as the Commanders prepare to face a Dallas Cowboys defense that will likely be without multiple starters. He played 26 offensive snaps against the Eagles, which represented just over 37% of the offense's total snap count in Week 1. It's reasonable to expect that most of the attention will be on Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, just as it was last weekend, so there could be opportunities for Williams to take advantage of that and get open in the middle of the field.
Whenever those opportunities come, the Commanders know he can handle it.
"I think he's in a good pocket of people, and then add his skills on top of that and his work ethic, I think there's a big development side for him," Quinn said.
