Watts has been under intense scrutiny since he was drafted by Melbourne with the first pick of the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, particularly as he hasn't burst on to the scene and instantly performed like most other top choices in recent years.
He has steadily improved with time, but at 19 years of age - that's right, he is still just 19 - Watts is nowhere near matching the potential that had recruiters drooling three years ago.
Watts starred at both basketball and football in his junior days, deciding relatively late in the piece to pursue a career with the oval ball.
He managed 15 games last season, the best of which was a 27-possession effort against the Brisbane Lions in round 18.
It is important to note two things: first, 19 of those possessions were handballs, and second, Watts spent the majority of that game playing up the field instead of in attack.
The Demons' long-term plan is to have Watts, Liam Jurrah and Lynden Dunn as the key components of their forward line but the trio has only spent a handful of games in the same side.
With continuity comes understanding, and as the exciting young Melbourne midfield matures, supply to the forward line will be cleaner and more frequent. Put simply, life will be easier for Watts and co.
But Watts does need to work hard to present himself in the right positions as a key forward.
He has a strong aerobic base and needs to use that to his advantage with 70m leads, sometimes one after another to tire his opponents in a similar manner to the last blond key forward to go at number one, Nick Riewoldt.
As he plays more games, Watts will have more of a commanding presence.
In Thursday night's match against Essendon he marked on the flank, ran around and dribbled a 15m kick into the centre square. In a couple of years he might have the belief in himself to instead play on and kick long to a target (probably Jurrah) in the hot spot 20m from goal.
Thursday was a quiet night for Watts, but he was far from on his own in that regard. If he had have turned in that performance in a NAB Challenge match in Canberra few would have said a word - and indeed this article probably wouldn't have been written.
Unfortunately he happened to be playing in Melbourne in a televised night game, and while only 13,000 people were at Etihad Stadium, there were plenty watching at home.
The role of the centre half-forward has changed as teams chip the ball around outside 50, but the best such as Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich are known for their ability to set up forward thrusts with a long, quick kick after a mark on the flank.
One instant decision made by a player half way through a NAB Cup game is hardly the sort of mistake that needs highlighting, but it was a reminder that this much-discussed talent is a raw teenager learning the game.
Watts' development is crucial to Melbourne's future, so Dean Bailey and his coaching staff might want to look at letting him spend more time on the wing to build confidence as his body matures enough to handle the responsibility of being a key forward.
This was part of St Kilda's development of Riewoldt, and the Demons could also take a leaf out of Essendon's book. The Bombers used Michael Hurley at both ends of the ground before settling on a forward role.
It wouldn't hurt Watts to see the game from another perspective, rather than feeling the pressure of having to mark the ball under the watchful eyes of every Melbourne supporter every time the Demons attack.
The football world has to be patient and maybe look at the example of another Riewoldt, Nick's younger cousin Jack.
This time last year he was still seen as a raw, developing young forward yet to meet his potential. By season's end he was a Coleman medalist, All Australian and a club best and fairest.
Young players do improve. It's just that sometimes we have to wait.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL and its clubs
