The Washington Commanders need answers at wide receiver now that Terry McLaurin has been ruled out for the season.

They will not come from Stefon Diggs, whose workload should not increase in spite of the injury, according to head coach Dann Quinn. Instead, the Commanders plan to lean on their depth, and Quinn believes rookie Antonio Williams is ready for more responsibility.

"Antonio is one that you'd see getting more targets to go," Quinn said Monday.

Williams, the Commanders' third-round pick in April, was drafted because of how advanced a route runner he was compared to the rest of his class. For the most part, Williams has lived up to their expectations. He ranks 19th in creating separation, according to Pro Football Focus, which has helped him rank third on the team in yards and receptions.

And anyone would be hard pressed to find a rookie receiver who has had a more successful start to the season than Williams. He is tied for first in catch rate among rookie wide outs with at least 20 targets. PFF has him graded as the second-best receiver in his class (74) with the third-best receiving grade (75.2). He has generated a 96.7 passer rating when targeted -- ninth among rookies -- and 10 first downs, which ranks seventh.

So, the Commanders have reason to be excited about Williams and how he can elevate their offense.

"He's been very consistent since he's been here," offensive coordinator David Blough said prior to Week 1. "We saw it on the tape. You see some of the ball skills that show up in the game. And so, as we continue to grow here, we're excited about his progression as we go down the road here."

Williams led the Commanders with four catches for 64 yards in his debut against the Philadelphia Eagles, scooping up a one-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter before it could hit the ground that brought Washington within two points of tying the score.

"Antonio made a hell of a grab," Jayden Daniels said after the game. "I am super happy for him and the work that he put in. In the biggest moments, guys make plays like that. He showed us all the work that he put in, and the type of player that he is, and how they scouted him throughout the draft. Super excited to continue to build him for the future."

Williams' future is going to include more targets but "not necessarily the same spot" as McLaurin, Quinn said. The Commanders have other players, like Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown, who are better suited for that role. They also have practice squad players in Van Jefferson and undrafted rookie Jaden Bradley would could get elevated at some point this season.

So, what will Williams' role look like for the rest of the season? It is unclear at this point, although it will presumably include more of what Williams does well. Thankfully, there is plenty to pull from. His snap counts on plays in the slot and on the outside are nearly identical (74 to 75), and he has generated passer ratings of at least 100 on six different routes, according to PFF. He's at his best in the flat, but Washington's quarterbacks also have passer ratings of 118.8 when targeting him on comebacks, in routes and post routes.

"There's just a lot of really, really good things about him, and [he's] just an all-around great package," general manager Adam Peters said of Williams in April. "So [we're] thrilled to have him, thrilled to add him to the wide receiver room."

Williams will certainly be part of the Commanders' foreseeable future, as he is under contract for the next three seasons, but he has a chance to create a larger role for himself in their long-term plans. What he makes of that will be up to him, but it is clear that Williams will make the most of his situation.

"I'm going to put my head down every day and put in all the work and be the best version of myself, and hopefully that's more than they expect from me," Williams said.