The 2022 Los Angeles Chargers season has been typical Los Angeles Chargers. On paper, they looked like a team that could go on a run. However, poor decisions, mental mistakes and, of course, a stacked injury list have the team struggling. The Keenan Allen injury has been the most notable for both reality and fantasy football.
A late-week Keenan Allen injury update doesn’t provide much optimism for anyone, except possibly the Josh Palmer fantasy football owners.
Keenan Allen Injury Update
The Keenan Allen injury update is not positive news for Chargers fans or Allen fantasy owners. It seemed like the talented wide receiver would play in Week 4 against the Houston Texans. However, a setback to the Keenan Allen injury, which was his hamstring, caused him to miss the game.
Fast forward to NFL Week 5, and the Keenan Allen injury update is that he did not practice on Friday. Typically, this means he will be out for the Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. While writing this article, Allen was officially ruled out.
Josh Palmer Fantasy Football Outlook Improves
With Keenan Allen out once again this week, there are targets up for grabs in the Chargers offense. Mike Williams will continue to be the WR1 in Allen’s absence. However, this creates a valuable WR2 opening.
This has the Josh Palmer fantasy football outlook improving. The second-year WR is clearly the next-most talented receiving option for Justin Herbert. However, his role in the offense has been inconsistent since the Keenan Allen injury.
In Weeks 2-4, with Allen sidelined, Palmer has totaled 11 receptions on 18 targets for 154 yards and a touchdown. However, 99 of those yards came in Week 3, and Palmer was only targeted once last week.
Fantasy Football Outlook For Chargers Receivers
Clearly, TE Gerald Everett has been the receiver to step up for the Los Angeles Chargers in fantasy football. He has caught 13-of-22 targets for 157 yards and a touchdown in the past three weeks. However, with TE Donald Parham Jr. set to make his season debut, some snaps will be taken away from Everett. Still, he is a fringe TE1 candidate, for now.
The other WR that has been relevant for the Chargers is DeAndre Carter. He caught 8-of-10 targets for 102 yards the past three weeks. While he will likely see the second-most snaps in this receiver corps, he looks to be the fifth-best receiving target, behind Austin Ekeler, Williams, Palmer and Everett.
So, for the NFL Week 5 Chargers vs Browns matchup, the Josh Palmer fantasy football value is rising. Still, he is nothing above a WR3/4.