Fantasy Football 2021 Team Previews: Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Preview 2021

All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.

** = target in drafts at this ADP

Top 120

Austin Ekeler, RB (ADP: 14): Ekeler is never going to get the rushing volume of his peers going around the same time, but it won’t matter. Ekeler is an elite receiver at the position, and he’s in a high-powered offense with a clear hierarchy. Limited to just 10 games in 2020, Ekeler still racked up 54 receptions for 403 yards and two scores, finishing the season with 933 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. This year, he’ll be healthy once again, and get a full training camp with second-year QB Justin Herbert, a breakout star. His low volume on the ground does limit his ceiling just a bit, but he should be well over 1,000 total yards if he’s healthy, and he did score 11 touchdowns in 2019. Ekeler is unconventional, but he’ll produce like an RB1.

Keenan Allen, WR (ADP: 28): Allen is one of the most underrated fantasy assets at any position. He delivers the same excellent production year after year, having averaged 70 or more yards per game for three straight seasons, scored six touchdowns for three consecutive seasons before scoring eight in 2020, and topping 100 catches in three of the last four campaigns. I had hesitancy entering last season because he began it with Tyrod Taylor at QB, but he was his same old dominant self once Herbert took over. It’s unlikely that Allen is ever going to deliver a WR1 overall season, but he is a fantasy WR1 for sure.

**Justin Herbert, QB (ADP: 62): This offense has a clear Big 3, and Herbert is the key to it all. He was incredible as a rookie, turning in one of the best freshman seasons of all time. He finished with 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns in 15 games, and had long stretches of outright dominance. For instance, from Weeks 4-7 he averaged 295 yards and three touchdowns per game. Herbert did experience a cooldown toward the end of the season, but even when the output slowed he was still providing adequate production. It’s tough for pocket passers to thrive in fantasy these days, but Herbert only failed to hit the 250-yard mark three times in 15 games, and he threw for three or more touchdowns six times.

Now, while that’s well and good, he’s still got a fairly high ADP and he’s the seventh QB off the board. Usually you want runners at that point, but Herbert is quietly an efficient contributor on the ground. PFF put a 63.8 rushing grade on him, and he finished 2020 with 254 yards and five rushing touchdowns. He’s going ahead of guys like Aaron Rodgers (better passer) and Jalen Hurts (more prolific rusher), and that might turn off some, but I am fine with it. I’d take him over those guys too.

Fantasy Relevant (121-200 ADP)

Mike Williams, WR (ADP: 125): Williams is a perpetual sleeper because despite all his gifts, and all his promise, he almost always fails to put it together for fantasy owners. Yet, we glimpse enough to keep hope alive. He remains an elite deep threat; he lost five yards off his yards per reception last year, and still clocked in at 15.8. He finished with 756 yards on only 48 receptions and found the end zone five times. Due to the types of targets he receives, Williams is never going to do much better than 50ish receptions, so you’re going to need touchdown luck like he had in 2018 when he scored 10 times. As the 49th WR off the board I can’t kill someone who drafts that upside here, but he’s not exactly a spring chicken. His history says that 2018 was the aberration, and it’s more likely than not that his 2019-2020 numbers are the real Mike Williams, making him a fun DFS dart throw more than a bankable WR2.

Jared Cook, TE (ADP: 172): Cook has been pretty productive the past two seasons in New Orleans, and while he may be cooked at age 34, if he’s not this is a nice landing spot for him. Cook has been a reliable red zone threat, scoring nine and six touchdowns, respectively, the past two seasons. He might even be a little less touchdown-dependent in L.A., since departed TE Hunter Henry was second on the team in targets behind only Allen last year. Now that’s largely because Ekeler missed a lot of time, but the point is the Chargers’ WR room is entirely undefined behind Allen, and the TE has long been a staple of Chargers offenses. Would I prefer a higher ceiling from my TE? Yes. Is Cook someone to target if you are totally punting on the high-draft capital TEs? Also yes.

Sleeper Class (200 & later)

Justin Jackson, RB (ADP: 237): Jackson is officially one of the most frustrating players in fantasy. I was all over him last season, and he got a chance with Ekeler’s injury, annnnnd repeatedly got injured and finished the season with 59 carries. Unsurprisingly, he was explosive in that limited action, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and earning a 77 grade from PFF, the highest mark on the team. Kalen Ballage is gone, so I’d call Jackson the handcuff to own on this team, but it’s hard to imagine they have faith in him to remain upright if Ekeler got hurt. He’d likely have the slight edge in a time share if Ekeler is out, and he’s not cutting into Ekeler’s playing time without an injury. So while I love the talent, I just can’t recommend drafting him.

Josh Palmer, WR (ADP: 241): Palmer, a third rounder out of Tennessee, has a little buzz about him but statistically he wasn’t impressive in college, and this offense has obvious, key contributors. I don’t really get the buzz; if you love the talent, draft him in dynasty leagues I guess, but I’m not very interested in redraft or even deep keeper leagues.

Joshua Kelley, RB (ADP: 246): Kelley had a chance to step up with Ekeler gone, and then Jackson gone, and he fell behind Kalen Ballage, who usurped him right off the street. At 3.2 yards per carry offering very little in the passing game, Kelley can be safely ignored on draft day.

Tyron Johnson, WR (ADP: 280): Johnson has talent, but a super unclear path to playing time. He’s a receiver in the Mike Williams mold; he is less imposing, but he averaged 19.9 yards per reception last season and struck for three touchdowns. Johnson is a receiver I’d be interested in picking up should an injury occur to Allen or Williams, but he’s not someone I’m interested in actually drafting.

Jalen Guyton, WR (ADP: 392): Guyton is also comparable to Williams and Johnson, averaging 18.8 yards per reception last year, totaling 28 receptions and 511 yards with three touchdowns. Guyton had more playing time and production than Johnson last season, so I’m not sure why his ADP is 100 picks later at damn near 400. But in any case, Guyton is the dart throw receiver I like the most on this team, and it’s very likely one of these guys pops and becomes relevant.

Defense/Special Teams (ADP: 251)

The Chargers’ D/ST was very banged up last season, but there’s talent here. Obviously, Joey Bosa ia a monstrosity on the defensive line, but Derwin James and Chris Harris are playmakers in the secondary. This is a division with tough offenses, so they may still wind up as merely a streamer quality unit, but they have more upside than most defenses in this range.