Fantasy Football: 'All three Chargers receivers belong in your starling lineup' — Tale of the Take, Week 2

https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/article/fantasy-football-all-three-chargers-receivers-belong-in-your-starling-lineup--tale-of-the-take-week-2-150143895.html

If we’re gonna be wrong, let it happen early. Week 1 was wild. The first edition of Tale of the Take went sideways quick with Xavier Worthy injured on the third play of the game, Saquon Barkley falling short of a monster rushing day and Justin Fields looking like the fantasy cheat code I said he wouldn’t be vs. the Steelers.

That’s the game. We swing, sometimes we miss.

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But now we roll into Week 2 with more information. It’s not the full picture, but it’s something we can work with.

Harold Fannin Jr. is in play as a top-10 option at TE for Week 2

The tale of the take: If you’re hurting at tight end (with George Kittle on IR and Dallas Goedert and Evan Engram both dealing with injuries), Harold Fannin Jr. might be the spark. In his first NFL game he tied a league record for most catches by a tight end in their debut — seven grabs on nine targets for 63 yards. The Browns didn’t just sprinkle him in. He ran 30 routes, logged a 21.4% team target share and operated as more of a big slot receiver than a traditional in-line tight end.

That’s where the split comes in. David Njoku is still very much involved. He played more snaps, ran more routes and is locked into his role as the in-line tight end. But Fannin’s usage was different. He was used in space, schemed to get the ball in rhythm and looked like Joe Flacco’s Dennis Pitta.

Flacco isn’t stealing opportunities with his legs. He’s distributing, and Fannin is a reliable weapon in the short-to-intermediate areas.

The Browns finished top 10 in neutral pass rate in Week 1. That tells us they’re committed to throwing regardless of script. Now they get Baltimore. The Ravens are no slouch defensively, but Buffalo showed last week they can be moved. Even if Cleveland isn’t chasing, it’ll be dropping back plenty, and Fannin should remain in the mix.

James Conner finishes as a top-10 running back in Week 2

The tale of the take: James Conner’s Week 1 line didn’t jump out — 12 carries for 39 yards and four catches for 39 yards with a touchdown — but his role is exactly what you want. He played nearly 64% of snaps, saw 16 opportunities and handled the red-zone and goal-line work. Trey Benson ripped off one explosive run, but Conner nearly doubled him in touches and was the one on the field for the money snaps.

Now the matchup swings in his favor. Carolina just let Travis Etienne Jr. gash them for 143 rushing yards and a top-10 finish. The Cardinals are favored by 6.5 at home, and if they’re playing with a lead, Conner is the hammer they’ll lean on to close it out.

His usage in Week 1 showed trust. Conner had multiple carries inside the 10, ran 19 routes and caught all four of his targets. His Week 1 14.4 full-PPR fantasy points outpaced Benson’s 8.5, and in an offense that funnels through Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride and Conner, he’s locked into a reliable role. Conner is lined up for a smash spot in Week 2.

Kayshon Boutte is a top-24 option in Week 2

The tale of the take: Kayshon Boutte was once viewed as a first-round receiver prospect during his time at LSU. He said this offseason he still sees himself as that caliber of player, and the Patriots clearly agree. He earned the starting X role and his teammates voted him team captain prior to the season. And he delivered in Week 1, catching six of eight targets for 103 yards while leading the team in routes and air yards.

New England finished top three in neutral pass rate in Week 1, which tells you a little something about its identity right now. It wants to throw. Boutte ran 41 routes, posted a 17.8% target share and racked up 137 air yards. Stefon Diggs was close in raw targets, but Boutte’s looks came deeper downfield. He also saw one of the team’s end-zone targets, showing he’s in the mix for high-value opportunities.

Here’s the bottom line: I’d rather my WR get 17-yard targets than two-yard targets. Boutte’s role on the outside is where fantasy production is made. He’s not locked in as an every-week, must-start receiver but the usage is already good enough to put him in lineups, especially against a Miami defense that just made Daniel Jones look like a Hall of Fame quarterback.

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All three Chargers receivers belong in your starting lineup

The tale of the take: The Chargers went toe-to-toe with the Chiefs in Week 1, and the most encouraging takeaway wasn’t just the touchdowns — it was how Justin Herbert distributed the ball. Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston each commanded over a 20% target share and cleared 85 air yards. That’s balance. That’s volume. And that’s the kind of usage that fantasy managers should be paying attention to.

The roles were clear. Allen was Herbert’s security blanket, carving up zone looks and posting a team-high 31% target-per-route rate. McConkey wasn’t far behind at 23%, showing off the quick separation that made him a Day 2 pick.

Johnston? He was the man-beater. Against man coverage, Johnston posted a massive 46.2% target rate, and the Chargers clearly schemed to get him the ball in space where his frame and speed could create after the catch.

Yes, Johnston scored two touchdowns, Allen found the end zone, too, and McConkey had 74 yards. That won’t repeat every week. If there’s a flip in Week 2 where McConkey is the one hitting pay dirt and the other two don’t, don’t be surprised. The important part is all three ran 30-plus routes, all three were prioritized by Herbert and targets to running backs and tight ends were an afterthought.

Allen, McConkey and Johnston are all fantasy starters in what looks like one of the better passing attacks in the League after Week 1.

If we’re gonna be wrong, let it happen early in the season. Week 1 was wild. But now, we’ve got something to work with. Boutte, Fannin, Conner and the Chargers wide receivers — those are the tales, those are the takes and that’s what I’m rolling with for Week 2.

https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/article/fantasy-football-all-three-chargers-receivers-belong-in-your-starling-lineup--tale-of-the-take-week-2-150143895.html