Chargers Receivers Going Forward (5 Viewers)

[Jewell]

So far this season the Chargers have been one of the NFL’s more pass-heavy teams. Below is the current data (After Week 3) for the Chargers’ top-three receivers.

QUESTION: How would you rank the Chargers receivers (one through three) for the rest of the season?


Targets

Allen: 28 (30.4%)

Johnston: 24 (22.2%)

McConkey: 21 (18.8%)


Air Yards Per Target

Johnston: 14.3

Allen: 9.7

McConkey: 8.4


Total Routes

McConkey: 112

Johnston: 108

Allen: 92


Current PPR Ranking

Allen: WR6

Johnston: WR8

McConkey: WR41

 

[shadrap]

I think it stays the same as it's really working. Allen will probably get hurt though & thrust McConkey back to #1. in my HO.

 

[RaidersAreOne]

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

 

[TheWinz]

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

Name the only player in the NFL through 3 weeks with at least 5 catches, 60 yards, and a TD in all 3 games? Keenan Allen has been the most consistent WR in the entire NFL through 3 games, and is a must start until that changes.

 

[Absolutely Nothing]

I mean, I’d like to be wrong, but I’d say Ladd, Johnston, Allen in that order.

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

this is a crazy take for three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

 

[zoonation]

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

I hate having to count on the WR6 overall every week.

 

[IHEARTFF]

Is Herbert going to lead the league in yards? If yes, then all 3 can remain viable. I doubt he will. My guess is targets shrink a bit overall and shift some from Allen to Ladd. QJ will keep his downfield big play role, which may not be reliable scoring weekly.

 

[RaidersAreOne]

three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

I'm not starting McConkey with much confidence.

• 4 for 41
• 5 for 48
• 6 for 74

0 TD's on the season and looks to be WR3. I'm not counting on that.

 

[RaidersAreOne]

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

Name the only player in the NFL through 3 weeks with at least 5 catches, 60 yards, and a TD in all 3 games? Keenan Allen has been the most consistent WR in the entire NFL through 3 games, and is a must start until that changes.

I was not aware his stats were that good. I stand corrected.

 

[wgoldsph]

three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

I'm not starting McConkey with much confidence.

• 4 for 41
• 5 for 48
• 6 for 74

0 TD's on the season and looks to be WR3. I'm not counting on that.

So you're discounting a player running the most routes, because other Wrs have seen worse coverage?

Allen is good, but he hasn't played a full season in forever and call me skeptical on QJ being anything more than a highly variable weekly option. Ladd will end up leading the team in everything by the end of the season.

Buy low.

 

[msudaisy26]

three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

I'm not starting McConkey with much confidence.

• 4 for 41
• 5 for 48
• 6 for 74

0 TD's on the season and looks to be WR3. I'm not counting on that.

I am just speculating,but was this a case of we aren't letting Ladd beat us because Johnson can't catch and Allen is too old and slow? Now that Herbert has proved they can beat you, does that open things up for Ladd?

 

[wgoldsph]

three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

I'm not starting McConkey with much confidence.

• 4 for 41
• 5 for 48
• 6 for 74

0 TD's on the season and looks to be WR3. I'm not counting on that.

I am just speculating,but was this a case of we aren't letting Ladd beat us because Johnson can't catch and Allen is too old and slow? Now that Herbert has proved they can beat you, does that open things up for Ladd?

Ladd has seen a lot of double coverage so far.

 

[Zow]

I think it stays the same as it's really working. Allen will probably get hurt though & thrust McConkey back to #1. in my HO.

I tend to agree. Allen still can run routes and catch passes and presumably he's drawing the opponent's third best coverage personnel. Johnston seems to have taken a step forward as well. Herbert therefore is targeting the open player. I have watched the majority of their games and don't see anything to where, based on my novice opinion, McConkey isn't involved or taken some sort of step back. Herbert just seems to be hitting the open guy.

Disclaimer: I have all 3 spread across varying leagues and have been trying to sell high on Johnston so I don't really have a preferred dog in this fight.

 

[jobarules]

I still think Ladd is way too talented to put up pedestrian numbers. Im assuming teams are trying to take him away leaving the other guys with one on one coverage. Once defenses shift so will the chargers. Buy low!

 

[Chaka]

Too hard to count on any of them any single week.

Name the only player in the NFL through 3 weeks with at least 5 catches, 60 yards, and a TD in all 3 games? Keenan Allen has been the most consistent WR in the entire NFL through 3 games, and is a must start until that changes.

I was not aware his stats were that good. I stand corrected.

Allen has caught a minimum of five passes, 61 yards and a TD every game. Johnston had lines of 5-79-2, 3-71-1 and 6-89-0.

Ladd has been a disappointment but those two should be in most starting lineups ATM.

 

[Jewell]

I still think Ladd is way too talented to put up pedestrian numbers. Im assuming teams are trying to take him away leaving the other guys with one on one coverage. Once defenses shift so will the chargers. Buy low!

I was listening to a football analyst (I forget which one), and he said his review of the Chargers’ snaps on the season so far suggested that Quentin Johnston is the first read on most Herbert dropbacks, Keenan Allen is the second read, and Ladd McConkey is the third read.

I can’t verify whether that’s accurate, but that’s what the analyst said.

I agree with you, though, that McConkey is immensely talented. He always seems to get open.

 

[Jail]

I still think Ladd is way too talented to put up pedestrian numbers. Im assuming teams are trying to take him away leaving the other guys with one on one coverage. Once defenses shift so will the chargers. Buy low!

He was fed a lot of targets last year because they really had little other options. LAC worked hard to get him some weapons, and so far they are playing well.

Teams are definitely giving McConkey extra attention. With all the other options there is no reason to force it. When Allen is getting single coverage from lesser CBs he’s going to win most of the time. That’s what we’re seeing. But if teams focus on Allen Herbert will just go somewhere else. Teams may be deciding that they can live with Allen’s catches because he’s less explosive than McConkey.

If all are healthy I don’t think we’ll see a big change from what we are seeing right now. McConkey will have some big games though. Teams may try giving Allen the extra attention that he used to get, but if McConkey blows up it could just go right back.

One thing is clear to me though. Herbert is playing his best right now and doing an excellent job of taking what the defense gives him.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I still think Ladd is way too talented to put up pedestrian numbers. Im assuming teams are trying to take him away leaving the other guys with one on one coverage. Once defenses shift so will the chargers. Buy low!

He was fed a lot of targets last year because they really had little other options. LAC worked hard to get him some weapons, and so far they are playing well.

Teams are definitely giving McConkey extra attention. With all the other options there is no reason to force it. When Allen is getting single coverage from lesser CBs he’s going to win most of the time. That’s what we’re seeing. But if teams focus on Allen Herbert will just go somewhere else. Teams may be deciding that they can live with Allen’s catches because he’s less explosive than McConkey.

If all are healthy I don’t think we’ll see a big change from what we are seeing right now. McConkey will have some big games though. Teams may try giving Allen the extra attention that he used to get, but if McConkey blows up it could just go right back.

One thing is clear to me though. Herbert is playing his best right now and doing an excellent job of taking what the defense gives him.

Agreed on the bolded. Herbert is the elite QB we thought he was when he was first in the league. He has just been held back by injuries and incompetent coaching.

 

[jobarules]

I still think Ladd is way too talented to put up pedestrian numbers. Im assuming teams are trying to take him away leaving the other guys with one on one coverage. Once defenses shift so will the chargers. Buy low!

He was fed a lot of targets last year because they really had little other options. LAC worked hard to get him some weapons, and so far they are playing well.

Teams are definitely giving McConkey extra attention. With all the other options there is no reason to force it. When Allen is getting single coverage from lesser CBs he’s going to win most of the time. That’s what we’re seeing. But if teams focus on Allen Herbert will just go somewhere else. Teams may be deciding that they can live with Allen’s catches because he’s less explosive than McConkey.

If all are healthy I don’t think we’ll see a big change from what we are seeing right now. McConkey will have some big games though. Teams may try giving Allen the extra attention that he used to get, but if McConkey blows up it could just go right back.

One thing is clear to me though. Herbert is playing his best right now and doing an excellent job of taking what the defense gives him.

Yeah when I say buy low im more saying buy him as someone performing like a wr3 but should be wr2 going forward. I do not think he will be a wr1 where he was drafted.

 

[rockaction]

I roster Ladd in my main dynasty league. This is kinda killing me. I have every reason to make excuses. QJ has just changed. By the declarations of almost everybody who does this for a living.

Guys and women, Surtain was on QJ, not Ladd. I know that's not the common narrative. I've seen two clips posted on Twitter. The guys telling me Suratin was on QJ are and were not QJ truthers, they just telling the truth. Here's one where he's clearly lined up on QJ and pretty much, at least to my eyes, plays a sort of weaker press coverage. Do what you will with this.

https://x.com/DevyEusuf/status/1970725014757613783

Went and got proof from ESPN. Not video, but I saw a bunch of clips, have posted one, and here's the summary:

Facts vs. Feelings: Course-correct or stay the course on Jeanty, 'Bill' and others

Your draft-day plans might not have panned out, but new options have emerged ... sometimes on the same NFL team.

www.espn.com

"Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers: Talk about the best option hiding in plain sight -- Keenan Allen leads the Chargers in catches (19), and Quentin Johnston tops the team in receiving yards (239). They've both caught TDs while McConkey has not. Even more concerning, McConkey ranks third in aerial opportunities with 21 looks as opposed to Allen's 26 and Johnston's 24. Lest one was to believe that Pat Surtain II negatively impacted McConkey's production in Week 3; per NFL Next Gen Stats, McConkey lined up against the Broncos' star CB on only five of his 52 routes. Instead, Surtain largely covered Johnston, trailing the WR on 42 of his routes.

It's troublesome that on such a pass-happy offense, McConkey has logged just 154 receiving yards (WR31). In fact, Los Angeles has registered the eighth-highest designed pass rate (66%) in the NFL with 75% of the squad's yards coming through the air (fourth most). Najee Harris' absence (Achilles) could open up more opportunities for the second-year receiver, but with his team as 6.5-point favorites at New York, it's unlikely he'll garner a massive boost. As such, he figures to languish on the WR2/flex bubble, offering investors WR30(ish) value in Week 4." - Liz Loza, ESPN 9/23/25

 

[rockaction]

How about we add another to the mix?

#Chargers rookie TE Oronde Gadsden had five catches for 46 yards in his regular-season debut Sunday. Gadsden had been inactive for the first two weeks of the season. "He's going to be in there more," Jim Harbaugh said. "And he earned that."

Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on Oronde Gadsden II: "I just have a feeling, I've seen this movie a few times-there's more good to come."

 

[JoeKappBudGrant]

three WRs that should all be in starting lineups. Count on ALL of them until further notice.

I'm not starting McConkey with much confidence.

• 4 for 41
• 5 for 48
• 6 for 74

0 TD's on the season and looks to be WR3. I'm not counting on that.

So you're discounting a player running the most routes, because other Wrs have seen worse coverage?

Allen is good, but he hasn't played a full season in forever and call me skeptical on QJ being anything more than a highly variable weekly option. Ladd will end up leading the team in everything by the end of the season.

Buy low.

Allen has missed 14 games in the last 8 plus seasons. The 8 times he played at least 13 games for the Chargers he finished below WR 17 only one time. He may be old, but he knows how to get open. Last year with the Bears he had a slow start with a Rookie QB and poor Oline. However, over his last 7 games he averaged 16.7 PPR.

 

[Jewell]

Week 4:

Quentin Johnston: 8 receptions, 98 yards, 1 TD, 13 targets.

Keenan Allen: 5 receptions, 37 yards, 0 TDs, 7 targets.

Ladd McConkey: 1 reception, 11 yards, 0 TDs, 6 targets.


It’s definitely time for McConkey owners to be concerned that McConkey will remain third in the Chargers’ receivers pecking order, and it’s time for Quentin Johnston owners to start him every week without reservation.

 

[ChicoCat]

It's not like Q came out from the cornfield. He was a first round pick and put up some nice games last year.

 

[Mitchie]

It's not like Q came out from the cornfield. He was a first round pick and put up some nice games last year.

He was undrafted in both my leagues, smallerish roster sizes but still...

 

[Uncle Leo]

Same here. He was a FA pickup in my 12 Men Full PPR league.

 

[steelwind]

Looks like QJ was going to emerge regardless.
Lad's biggest disruption is Keenan.
Keenan has an injury history. If he were to ever miss time then it's Lad.