The Los Angeles Chargers just added wide receiver depth at No. 105 by drafting Brenen Thompson, a speed merchant whose scorched-earth 4.26-second 40-yard dash (100th-percentile) makes him the ultimate vertical threat in an offense designed to maximize explosive plays. Thompson earned a 23.1% Target Share (64th-percentile) while averaging a massive 17.9 Yards Per Reception at Mississippi State, proving he can dominate as a field-stretcher despite a late 22.1 Breakout Age.
In Dynasty, he joins a crowded WR room behind Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris, but can carve out a role as that field stretcher, with a top speed of nearly 24 mph. He should be considered a late round rookie pick.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey burst onto...
The Athletic's Daniel Popper thinks that Los Angeles ...
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey had an ...
Notice Hortiz didn’t rule out a reunion with Keenan Allen. The Chargers’ wide receiver room is a construction zone, with the team potentially eyeing former team leader Allen or scheme-fit veteran Jauan Jennings to solidify the rotation.
Ladd McConkey dynasty owners would prefer the team does not bring back Keenan Allen to cannibalize those high-leverage intermediate looks as McConkey and Allen win in similar ways and in similar areas. We’ve already seen Allen’s target-gravity suffocate McConkey’s fantasy ceiling, so McConkey and Tre Harris enthusiasts would prefer a Day 2 rookie to the “wrong” veteran signing. Meanwhile, Jennings would more directly challenge Quentin Johnston‘s role.
Despite whispers of a forced exile, Hortiz is trying to squash the rumors by declaring that the fleet-footed Johnston remains a central pillar of the team’s offensive. While he has yet to fully manifest the production of a first round pick, Quentin Johnston has “consistently” posted over 700 yards and secured eight scores across each of his last two seasons.
With the departure of Keenan Allen, Johnston stands to inherit some of those vacated targets, making him a late-round sleeper fantasy drafts. However, Los Angeles is in the market for a wide receiver in the NFL Draft. However, Johnston’s anemic career production opens up the possibility that Tre Harris and [Rookie WR X] may be the biggest beneficiaries of the open target share.
The Chargers had a forgetful day as they got demolished by the Texans 32-12 in the opening game of Wild Card weekend. The lone bright spot for the Chargers was Ladd McConkey. McConkey set a rookie record for receiving yards in a playoff game with 197.
This performance is notable as it will surely make it easier to click Ladd McConkey near the 1-2 turn in fantasy football drafts next season. Ladd caught 9 passes on 14 targets and added a touchdown to his large day. This was good for 34.7 fantasy points which are helpful to those who play in playoff leagues.
Overall, Ladd McConkey’s stock continues to soar up. Buying McConkey in dynasty will be a tall task. Those who were in on Ladd McConkey throughout the rookie process are waking up very happy every day!
Jeremiah Retzlaff, coachretzlaff1
Don’t look now- Ladd McConkey has officially surpassed A.J. Brown in our lifetime value rating, and has an opportunity to further ascend as the Chargers enter the playoffs. McConkey has been a go-to weapon for Justin Herbert, breaking records for most receptions and receiving yards for a rookie in Chargers history.
McConkey finished the year on a torrid stretch, garnering 6 or more targets and scoring at least 14 PPR fantasy points in the final 7 games he played. While there were some questions around how he would hold up in the NFL with his smaller frame, he only missed one game all year and demonstrated toughness throughout the season, playing at a high level through multiple injuries.
McConkey being tied to Justin Herbert makes him an excellent cornerstone piece of dynasty rosters for years to come. Fantasy managers should look to acquire McConkey now in leagues that allow trading at this time, before he further demonstrates his ability to be a top-end fantasy asset during the playoffs.
-Jonny Tooma (@FantasyPicasso)
Chargers wide receiver D.J. Chark is running with the 1’s in training camp. This is welcome news to UnderDog drafters who have been selecting D.J. Chark late in drafts.
D.J. Chark is going off the board as WR-83 on UnderDog. Chark is a sneaky selection in round 17. The Chargers are expected to run the ball plenty in the Greg Roman offense, however there is value to mine in the Chargers passing game. For those who are out on the cost of Ladd McConkey at the 6-7 turn, Chark provides safety late in drafts. The benefit of selecting Chark is he will enter your best ball lineup multiple times in the WR-3 and flex spot as your 7th rostered wide receiver and beyond.
Recall that with the Jaguars when Dede Westbrook was supposed to breakout it was D.J. Chark, who was the wide receiver fantasy gamers wanted. When Jameson Williams was supposed to make his immediate mark in the NFL, it was D.J. Chark who stole rosterable weeks as an X receiver. Take advantage of the round 17 price on UnderDog and get those D.J. Chark numbers up.
