NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Chargers WR Keenan Allen (shoulder) is expected to play "without restrictions" vs. the Packrs today. We assume that there's still some risk of re-injury here, but it doesn't sound like Allen will be on any type of snap count. He remains a must-start in season-long fantasy leagues.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen (shoulder) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Packers. He told reporters Thursday that he’ll play through his AC joint sprain – and then put in a full practice on Friday. There’s a bit more risk with Allen due to the shoulder injury, but he remains a must-start in fantasy football.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen (shoulder) returned to a limited practice on Thursday. He told reporters afterward that he has an AC joint sprain in that left shoulder but fully plans on playing vs. the Packers this weekend. We'll update Allen's status again tomorrow.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday. He was able to return to last week's game after hurting the shoulder, catching a 38-yard TD late in the fourth quarter. So we're tentatively expecting Allen to play vs. the Packers this weekend. But HC Brandon Staley wouldn't say for sure that Allen would be available, only saying that he's "hopeful." We'll update his status again tomorrow.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen injured his shoulder in the third quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Lions. He briefly returned but then headed back to the locker room with trainers and is now officially questionable to return. We'll update his status when we know more.
Update: Allen returned early in the fourth quarter.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen caught 8 of 9 targets for 77 receiving yards in Monday night’s win over the Jets. The veteran also surpassed the 10,000-yard mark on a long catch in the third quarter, becoming the 51st WR in NFL history to eclipse that milestone. Allen now ranks as the WR5 in PPR points per game (20.6) and seventh among wideouts in receiving yards (720). Unfortunately, the only other Chargers’ pass-catcher to exceed 20 yards in this contest is RB Austin Ekeler. Rookie wideout Quentin Johnston struggled (2-14) but did, however, register a 94.5% route participation rate without teammate Joshua Palmer (knee) active, by far a season-high (68.9% in Week 7 closest). Perhaps Johnston can improve upon these efforts. Unfortunately, the road doesn’t get much easier for the Chargers. Their remaining strength of schedule ranks as the fourth-toughest for WRs in our adjusted fantasy points allowed. Allen should be treated as the only reliable receiver in this offense.
Chargers WR Josh Palmer (knee) is out for Monday night's game vs. the Jets. That will pretty much force the Chargers to put rookie WR Quentin Johnston in an every-down role. Palmer's absence obviously makes Johnston a better Week 9 fantasy bet, but he's still a shaky play against the league's top-ranked WR defense. It'll be WRs Derius Davis and Simi Fehoko behind WRs Keenan Allen and Johnston.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen caught 8 of 10 targets for 69 receiving yards in Sunday night’s win over the Bears. The veteran continues to be the No. 1 option in the Los Angeles offense and should be treated as such in every game moving forward, including Week 9 vs. the Saints. Beyond Allen, the most interesting takeaway is the increased involvement of WR Quentin Johnston. The rookie saw season-highs in targets (6), catches (5), and receiving yards (50). Part of this uptick can be attributed to his teammate Joshua Palmer missing a decent portion of the second offensive drive due to aggravating his knee injury. Still, Palmer ultimately returned and played on a normal complement of snaps. Johnston has been off to a slow start in 2023, but this performance should be enough for managers in deeper leagues to consider adding the first-year wideout off the waiver wire.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen hauled 7 of 11 targets for a team-leading 85 receiving yards and 1 TD in Week 6’s loss vs. the Cowboys. His teammate Joshua Palmer also had a solid game, finishing with 4 catches and 60 yards in the contest. Fantasy managers wondering if there would be a post-bye week spike in usage for rookie WR Quentin Johnston were sorely disappointed. The former TCU standout saw just 2 targets and failed to record a catch on Monday night. Looking under the hood a little bit, Johnston only played on 47.2% of the Chargers' offensive snaps in the contest, per PFF. It’s a long season, but the immediate signs are pointing toward Palmer being the stronger fantasy candidate. We’ll see if this holds true in Week 7 vs. the Chiefs.
Chargers WR Mike Williams has been diagnosed with a torn left ACL and will miss the rest of the 2023 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The timing of the injury at least gives Williams a good chance to be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign. He turns 29 in about a week and is officially signed with the Chargers for next season. But his contract currently carries a $32.5 million cap hit. Williams will need to restructure that deal to remain with the team. His absence for the rest of this season leaves behind big opportunity. Williams averaged 8.7 targets on a 21.3% share through three games. WR Josh Palmer is the better immediate bet for production with Williams out. But first-round rookie WR Quentin Johnston is the higher-upside longer-term bet. WR Keenan Allen, RB Austin Ekeler (once healthy), and TE Gerald Everett should also see a bit more volume without Williams.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen racked up 20 targets, 18 catches, and 215 yards in Sunday's win at Minnesota. He even added a 49-yard TD pass to WR Mike Williams in the third quarter. Allen claimed 42.6% of QB Justin Herbert's pass attempts, in a game Williams left late with an injury. Allen looks like a weekly must-start as long as he remains healthy. Williams tallied 7 receptions and 121 yards on 8 targets, which ranked a distant second. WR Josh Palmer posted a 4-66-1 receiving line on 7 targets. He'll be worth claiming off the waiver wire in many fantasy football leagues this week, if Williams appears to be in danger of missing the Week 4 home date with the Raiders.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen found the end zone twice in Sunday's OT loss vs. the Titans, totaling 8 receptions on 10 targets for 111 yards. Allen's 31.1 PPR points are a strong contender for this week's No. 1 at the WR position. Teammate Mike Williams also had an effective game, leading Los Angeles with 13 targets and posting 8 catches for 83 yards. We'd anticipated a pass-happy approach for this Chargers' offense under new OC Kellen Moore in 2023, and this week was an example of why fantasy managers should be excited to start this duo in lineups weekly. Week 3's matchup vs. the Vikings should present another excellent spot for solid production for both Allen and Williams.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert finished Week 1 with just 228 passing yards and 1 TD. A short-range toss to TE Donald Parham accounted for his only passing score. Herbert added a second score on a QB sneak, but there wasn’t much to speak of otherwise. Keenan Allen led the way with 6 grabs for 76 yards. Mike Williams — who left briefly for a concussion check — tallied just 45 yards on 4 catches. And Round 1 rookie Quentin Johnston mixed in for only 9 yards on 2 receptions. Overall, a slow start isn’t a total surprise given the presence of new OC Kellen Moore (plus a talented Miami defense). Keep expectations high for Sunday’s matchup at Tennessee.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen "has been the focal receiver in [OC] Kellen Moore’s offense during camp," The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes. Moore has been moving Allen all over the formation, and QB Justin Herbert "has trusted Allen to go up and make a play on contested balls." Injury is the only thing that can stop Allen from turning in a big 2023 fantasy season in this high-scoring Chargers offense.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen says he is splitting his time between lining up inside and outside in training camp. That's different from his role under OC Joe Lombardi the past two years. "I was stuck in the slot all the time," Allen said Tuesday, according to Alex Insdorf of Chargers Wire. Indeed, Allen spent 62.6% and 64.3% of pass snaps in the slot the past two years. That followed four years of rates from ranging 49.2% to 54.3%. It sounds like we should expect a return to that range. That should help his average target depth at least a little. Allen also saw his yards per route dip to 1.81 over the past two years vs. 2.09 for the previous four. Just another reason you should chase pieces of the Chargers offense in your drafts. See where Allen and crew sit in our fantasy football rankings.
The first half of Chargers WR Keenan Allen's 2022 season was wrecked by a hamstring injury. But he was a fantasy football stud over the second half. Allen led all WRs with 60 catches over his final eight games and ranked second to only Justin Jefferson with 83 targets. Allen scored the third most PPR points at his position over those eight contests. He's now finished as a top-13 WR in PPR points per game in six straight seasons and has shown no signs of decline, ranking 12th among 80 qualifying WRs in both Pro Football Focus receiving grade and yards per route run last year. Even with the addition of first-round rookie WR Quentin Johnston, Allen looks like a rock-solid WR2 pick in fantasy football drafts. See exactly where he lands in our WR Rankings.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen suggested the team will attempt more deep passes under new OC Kellen Moore. “Obviously, Justin [Herbert] has a cannon,” Allen said. “Mike [Williams] goes deep. He has a new guy named Quentin Johnston. He can go deep. We’re probably going to be going deep.” Justin Herbert wasn’t particularly aggressive last year. Only 9.7% of his attempts traveled 20+ air yards, while his average depth of target (aDOT) sat at just 7.0 yards. But given the arrival of Johnston and a solid O-line, Herbert should be someone you’re targeting in fantasy drafts.
The Chargers selected TCU WR Quentin Johnston with the 21st pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnston goes 6’3, 208 pounds but plays smaller. That’s not necessarily a knock. He’s one of the most impressive after-catch receivers we’ve seen come into the league in recent memory. He combines good agility and burst with plenty of physicality with the ball in his hands. Johnston averaged a huge 8.9 yards after the catch at TCU last year. He’s also a weapon on deep balls, leaving school with a career 19.0 yards-per-catch average. But Johnston struggles more than you’d expect in tight coverage. He converted just 42.7% of his contested opportunities over three college seasons, according to PFF, including just eight of 23 (34.8%) last year. His hands are inconsistent (10.7% drop rate last year). And his route running needs work. Johnston certainly isn’t the safest WR prospect – but he might have the highest fantasy ceiling in this year’s class. Landing in a Justin Herbert-led offense only helps. Just keep 2023 expectations in check, as long as Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are healthy. Current projections land Johnston in WR4/5 range.
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