Fantasy football managers with Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen are ecstatic he leads the league with 97 receptions through the first 12 weeks. Unfortunately, he could be in danger of losing his spot in that statistical category after popping up on the Chargers injury report.
Let’s take a closer look at the most recent news we have on Allen and the potential fantasy impact this injury could have on the Chargers offense.
Latest Injury Update on Keenan Allen
Allen’s 97 receptions for 1,117 yards and seven scores have made him the driving force of this Chargers passing attack, making his injury much more significant to the fantasy value of QB Justin Herbert.
According to the team’s injury report, Allen did not participate in Wednesday’s practice due to a new quadriceps injury he likely picked up against the Baltimore Ravens last week.
Update: According to the Chargers injury report from Thursday, Allen did not participate in practice for a second straight day.
Will Allen Play This Week?
Allen has been battling through a shoulder injury he picked up against the Lions, but his failure to see the practice field to start the week with a fresh quad injury is a bit concerning.
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Allen will have two more chances to get back on the practice field prior to their game against the New England Patriots. A veteran like Allen could likely play in a game without having to log a full practice, but if Allen isn’t able to get on the practice field in a limited capacity over the next two days, that is when I would start formulating a backup plan for your fantasy lineup.
What Does This Mean for Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston’s Fantasy Ranking?
Since Allen is currently dealing with an injury, fantasy managers who have stashed WR Joshua Palmer away on their bench or IR for the last four weeks are really hoping he will return to the starting lineup in Week 13.
When WR Mike Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Minnesota Vikings back in September, it was Palmer who emerged as the clear-cut second option in the passing game alongside Allen.
Palmer instantly became a reliable fantasy producer once he saw an expanded role, scoring 10+ fantasy points in all three full games he played after Williams sustained the knee injury.
The problem with assuming Palmer could see a huge role in Week 13 against the Patriots is assuming he is going to play at all. Palmer is eligible to return to the lineup after missing the last four games while on injured reserve with a knee injury, but that is far from a guarantee at the moment.
If Palmer is unable to return to the lineup, then Quentin Johnston would likely be the next man up at the WR position. Unfortunately, the talented rookie from TCU has been rather disappointing this year, with just 21 receptions for 190 yards and one score through 11 games this season.
He is currently dealing with a rib and finger injury at the moment but did log a full practice on Wednesday and appears to be trending in the right direction for Week 13.
If Allen plays, he is a top-five play this week. If Allen is out, Palmer would sneak inside my top 25 WRs, while Johnston would still rank outside of my top 40 at the WR position for Week 13.
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