Chargers Wide Receivers Fantasy Football Outlook: Should You Start Quentin Johnston or Joshua Palmer In Week 1?
With an elite young quarterback in Justin Herbert and a new up-tempo offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, the Chargers are one of the most enticing offenses in fantasy football. Between Herbert himself, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, and Keenan Allen, you can expect to see four Chargers started in your fantasy football leagues every single week.
But what about the other guys? Is this offense potent enough to support a third fantasy-relevant WR? If so, will it be first-round rookie Quentin Johnston or veteran Joshua Palmer? Let's take a look at their Week 1 outlooks.
Sync your league with the Fantasy Assistant to get rankings, waiver help, trade suggestions, optimal lineups, and more. Not sure Who You Should Start? We can help. Utilize our fantasy football trade analyzer for trades.
Quentin Johnston Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook
Let's get something out of the way first: I like Quentin Johnston as a prospect, and think he has the makings of a future fantasy stud. Especially in Dynasty leagues, but even in Redraft, I have been heavily targeting him this offseason. His college efficiency metrics are very impressive, including an absolutely absurd 3.05 yards per route run and an equally freakish 8.9 yards after the catch per reception.
But with all that said, I don't recommend starting him in Week 1 if you can avoid it. With the entire Chargers' WR corps currently healthy, the rookie is reportedly currently running as the WR4, behind Allen, Williams, and Palmer. There is a chance this is an entirely overblown concern (think Bisi Johnson running ahead of rookie-year Justin Jefferson), but all indications are that Palmer has, for now, held onto the WR3 job. Our Week 1 projections have Johnston producing just 37 receiving yards on 2.9 receptions, and that's not anything you want in your lineup.
Joshua Palmer Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook
Given my take on Johnston, I'm sure you can see where this one is going. I prefer Palmer this week and think he's a decent flex play if you're already in a pinch thanks to someone like Cooper Kupp or Jerry Jeudy.
Palmer has a proven connection with Herbert, stepping up in his second season in the league last year as Williams and Allen both missed time with injuries. Across six games from Week 6 to Week 13, Palmer averaged nearly double-digit targets at 9.7, as well as a very healthy 71.5 yards per game. Of course, his production slowed down the stretch as the other Chargers' WRs returned to health, but he has proven he can link up with Herbert effectively.
In a matchup with the high-flying Dolphins, I expect Herbert to be dropping back to pass early and often. Assuming the reports are true and Palmer is indeed ahead of Johnston on the depth chart, he should see at least a handful of targets, enough to make him a boom-or-bust flex option.
