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Fantasy Football can be so frustrating. You are rolling through your season, dominating as you head into the playoffs, but then the injuries happen. All that work and time dedicated to giving you the best chance for victory turn on you in an instant with an injury to one of your core players. Those counting on Adam Thielen, Deebo Samuel, or D'Andre Swift know exactly how it feels.
The 7-5 Los Angeles Chargers are coming off an impressive win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, and they welcome the New York Giants to So-Fi Stadium. Is Keenan Allen playing this week? Should I pickup Jalen Guyton or Josh Palmer off the waiver wire? Do you dare start either as you fight for your fantasy playoff life?
Below, we take a quick look at the updated status for Keenan Allen and attempt to answer these questions and their fantasy implications.
Is Keenan Allen Playing in Week 14 Against the Giants?
Keenan Allen tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley officially announced that wide receiver Keenan Allen would miss their Week 14 matchup against the New York Giants:
Allen currently ranks as the fantasy WR11 through thirteen games. He leads the Chargers in targets (124), receptions (86), and yards (929) and just produced two scores in their Week 13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be a massive blow to the Chargers offense, so who will quarterback Justin Herbert throw to on Sunday?
Should I Pickup and Start Jalen Guyton or Joshua Palmer?
With the loss of Allen, we should see plenty of touches for running back Austin Ekeler. Also, look for Mike Williams to continue his hot play from last week, where he hauled five catches for 110 yards into more looks from Herbert. Finally, fantasy managers will need to figure out which young wideout will step in for Keenan Allen:
Jalen Guyton
Jaylen Guyton is coming off his best game of the season. In the Week 13 matchup against the Bengals, he caught all four of his targets, including a 44-yard touchdown bomb, on his way to 90 receiving yards. This production should lead to Guyton playing more than his current 56% offensive snaps. Additionally, Guyton is a big-play threat, with four of his 18 total receptions on the season going 20+yards.
Guyton can take the top off defenses, and the Chargers should capitalize with his speed in the lineup with their matchup against the Giants this week. For those in need of a streamer or bye-week fill-in, fantasy managers should target Guyton on the waiver wire to fill the void with his ability for splash plays.
Joshua Palmer
Josh Palmer is a third-round rookie who received plenty of hype in camp and the preseason. Palmer has exhibited plenty of potential on his way to catching 15 passes on 21 targets for 168 yards and a touchdown. With Mike Williams looking likely to play, Palmer is still behind Jalen Guyton for snaps so his immediate value is stymied unless Williams doesn't play. Currently, Palmer is more of a dynasty stash for fantasy managers.
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