The Chargers added WR Joshua Palmer to the injury report as questionable for Monday night's game vs. the Cowboys with a groin issue. We don't have any other details right now, but you might want to replace Palmer in your starting lineup if you have another viable option.
Chargers WR Quentin Johnston posted just 1 catch for 18 yards in Week 4. Johnston garnered an end zone target and a deep target, but both plays were near-misses broken up by the DB. On the day, the rookie ran 22 routes -- thrid on the team behind Josh Palmer (30) and Keenan Allen (30). Johnston wil remain a low-floor fantasy option following a Week 5 bye.
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.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Chargers fear WR Mike Williams may have suffered a "potentially" season-ending left knee injury in Sunday's win over the Vikings. He'll have an MRI today to confirm the diagnosis. Losing Williams would present opportunity to rookie WR Quentin Johnston and third-year WR Josh Palmer. Each will be worth a look on the waiver wire this week, with Johnston carrying more upside.
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.
The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that Chargers WR Josh Palmer "appears" to be ahead of WR Quentin Johnston on the depth chart. "Palmer has been earning more first-team reps in three-receiver packages alongside Keenan Allen and Mike Williams," Popper adds. "Johnston is still in the very early stages of his development and has struggled with drops. His role early in the season will be geared toward specific concepts that allow him to play fast. Palmer, meanwhile, has the full trust of quarterback Justin Herbert and the coaching staff. He has been a regular playmaker in training camp." We certainly won't be shocked if Palmer out-snaps Johnston in Week 1. But we'd expect the rookie's role to grow throughout the season. Johnston remains an exciting fantasy pick, even though we won't be able to trust him in Week 1 lineups. Palmer, meanwhile, is a fine pick at the very end of best-ball drafts.
Chargers WR Josh Palmer missed offseason practices with an undisclosed injury. He's the Chargers' projected WR4, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, behind Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and rookie Quentin Johnston. (No surprise there.) We’ll keep an eye on Palmer’s participation in training camp, but he’s only worth drafting in deep fantasy formats.
The Athletic's Daniel Popper considers WR Keenan Allen 1 of the Charger's most likely salary cap casualties. (L.A. is currently about $23.5 million over the projected 2023 salary cap.) Allen missed 7 games and most of 2 others with hamstring trouble this past season and turns 31 in April. But he averaged 10.4 targets, 7.5 catches, 84 yards and .5 TDs over 8 healthy regular-season games. And he ranked 12th among 96 qualifying WRs in yards per route run. Allen would draw plenty of interest on the open market if he is released. His departure would be a significant boost to WR Mike Williams and especially WR Josh Palmer. Palmer averaged 7.3 targets, 4.6 catches and 49 yards across 8 games with Allen out or limited this past year.
The Chargers have downgraded WR Mike Williams from questionable to out for Saturday night's game against the Jaguars, because of the back injury he suffered in Week 18 against the Broncos. That boosts the outlook for Chargers WRs Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter, who have each moved up our WR rankings for the week. HC Brandon Staley has taken a lot of flak this week for the way he handled starters in a game his team didn't need. But he at least did coaches everywhere a service by clearly reminding everyone why you rest key players in those situations. We'll see about Williams' status for Round 2, if the Chargers advance.
Chargers WR Mike Williams missed practice for a 3rd straight day Thursday, with the back injury he suffered in the Week 18 loss to the Broncos. He is officially questionable for Saturday's game against the Jaguars and sure doesn't look like a great bet based on his practice schedule. We've seen Williams go later in recent full-playoffs drafting. WR Josh Palmer, however, has not risen at the same time. He looks like an attractive option across playoff fantasy football formats this week.
Chargers HC Brandon Staley plans to play starters in Sunday's game vs. the Broncos. A win would lock up the AFC's #5 seed for the Chargers, meaning a Round 1 game vs. the Jaguars or Titans. A loss would open the door for the Ravens to take the #5 seed with a win over the Bengals. That'd push the Chargers down to #6 and mean a Round 1 game vs. Cincinnati. “Our approach is definitely going to get shot to win this ballgame and play as well as we can play heading into the playoffs,” Staley said. “I think that there’s certainly an advantage to be in the No. 5-seed, from where I stand, so we’re going to try and get there.” Staley did add that he'd consider sitting banged-up players. But, as of now, we're projecting full playing time for QB Justin Herbert, RB Austin Ekeler and WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen dominated the receiving work in Monday night's win over the Colts. He racked up 11 catches for 104 yards on 14 targets, 45.2% of the team's total pass attempts. WR Mike Williams and RB Austin Ekeler tied for 2nd with 4 targets apiece on a limited passing night. Williams caught all 4 for 76 yards. The Chargers get a home date with the Rams in Week 17, a matchup that has been near-neutral for WR scoring on the year.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw for 313 yards in Sunday's narrow victory over the Chargers. But he added 2 INTs and no TDs, falling short of 10 fantasy points in many formats. WR Keenan Allen led the receiving with 8 catches for 86 yards among 9 targets. WR Mike Williams added 4-67 on 8 targets. WR Josh Palmer caught all 5 of his looks for 49 yards. It was Herbert's 3rd straight game with more than 300 yards and fewer than 2 TDs. Next comes a Colts defense that allowed 460 yards to Kirk Cousins on Saturday and 7 combined TD passes over the past 2 games.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert posted his 2nd-largest passing-yardage total of the season Sunday, throwing for 335 yards in a loss to the Raiders. He completed 28 of 47 throws (59.6%), finding WR Keenan Allen for the offense's only TD. Allen posted a 6-88-1 receiving line on a team-high 14 targets. WR Josh Palmer led the team with 7 catches among 11 targets and totaled 60 yards. TE Gerald Everett added 5 catches for 80 yards among 6 targets. The Chargers host Miami in Week 14. We'll see whether WR Mike Williams (ankle) can make it back for that contest.
Chargers WR Mike Williams (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Raiders. He remained sidelined in practice all week and has no timetable for return. Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter will again operate as Los Angeles’ top 3 WRs on Sunday.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw for 274 yards and 3 TDs in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. Herbert hit WR Keenan Allen, WR DeAndre Carter and RB Austin Ekeler for TDs. The 1-yarder to Ekeler with 15 seconds left won the game. Ekeler (15) and Carter (10) combined for 53.2% of Herbert's pass attempts and 51.4% of his completions for the game. Carter caught 7 for 73 yards. WR Josh Palmer went 5-56 on 7 targets. Allen finished with 5 receptions for 49 yards. TE Gerald Everett added 4 catches for 18 yards on 4 targets. The Chargers get a soft Raiders defense in Week 13.
Chargers WR Mike Williams (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Cardinals. He didn’t practice all week after aggravating that high-ankle sprain last Sunday night. Keenan Allen and Josh Palmer will serve as Los Angeles’ top 2 WRs this weekend.
Chargers HC Brandon Staley confirmed on Monday that WR Mike Williams re-aggravated his right high-ankle sprain in Sunday night's loss to the Chiefs. Staley added that the team will "find out a lot more in the next couple days" but that it's not "a significant re-injury." Considering Williams was out 4 weeks with the original injury, though, he seems unlikely to be available for Week 12's game against the Cardinals. That'd leave Keenan Allen and Josh Palmer as the Chargers' top 2 WRs.
Despite the returns of WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, WR Josh Palmer led Chargers receivers in Sunday night's loss to the Chiefs. Palmer paced the team in targets (10), receptions (8), yards (106) and claimed both of QB Justin Herbert's TD throws. Williams' early departure after he aggravated his sprained ankle certainly helped. Allen, meanwhile, finished 2nd in targets (8), catches (5) and yards (94). No other charger drew more than 3 targets. We'll see about Williams' status heading into a Week 12 visit to Arizona.
Search
