Week 15 at Las Vegas Raiders
Keenan Allen had one of his quieter games of the season in Week 14, hampered by the loss of Justin Herbert and his own ankle injury. Allen caught six of his 12 targets for 68 scoreless yards on his way to a mere 9.8 Half-PPR points, finishing as the WR22 for the week. This was a long way off his 17.3 points per game average this season, a tally good for WR3.
Allen did not practice in the early part of the week ahead of the Chargers clash with the Raiders. Assuming he does suit up, playing without Herbert puts a serious dent into his fantasy prospects. Allen looks more like a low-end WR2 this week, thanks to Easton Stick and a Raiders defense that ranks eighth in aFPA to wide receivers.
Update: Allen has been declared out, so be sure to get him out of lineups.
Week 14 vs. Denver Broncos
The general offensive malaise that gripped the Chargers Week 13 game even affected the usually solidly reliable Keenan Allen. Allen caught five of his nine targets for 58 scoreless yards on his way to 8.3 Half-PPR points. His season average is 17.9, and his seasonal points per game rank of WR4 is 32 spots ahead of where he finished last week.
The Broncos have been more welcoming to fantasy running backs than wide receivers this season, ranking 23rd in aFPA to backs and fourth to wideouts. But Allen's weekly floor keeps him fantasy-relevant in even the toughest matchups, assuming last week was a team-wide blip. He's a safe WR1 this week.
Week 13 at New England Patriots
Keenan Allen continues to dominate the passing game for the Chargers, as evidenced by his 16 targets against the Ravens last week. Allen reeled in 14 balls for 106 yards, though his lack of touchdowns meant he was only the WR14 in Half-PPR scoring in Week 12. He's the WR2 overall with an average of 18.8 points per game.
Allen doesn't have the most fearsome matchup of the week, with the Patriots ranking 19th in aFPA to wide receivers. His ridiculous workload should allow him to remain among the elites of the WR position this week.
Week 12 vs Baltimore Ravens
Keenan Allen had a monster game against the Packers, catching 10 of his 16 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown on his way to WR5 overall numbers last week with 22.6 Half PPR points. But he should have had a much bigger day, with two killer drops when in scoring position. Still, Allen is the WR2 in points per game in 2023.
The Ravens present a formidable opponent for Allen in Week 12, ranking third in aFPA to wide receivers this season. Still, volume is the driver behind fantasy production, and with so little else working in the passing game other than Allen #13 should continue to see enough work to keep him fantasy-relevant. He should be able to put up WR1 numbers again.
Week 11 at Green Bay Packers
When Justin Herbert strikes up a decent tune, Keenan Allen makes sweet music in fantasy football. The wily vet amassed 35 Half-PPR points last week, the most of any wide receiver in Week 11, and he ranks as the WR3 in average fantasy points per game in 2023 with 18.7.
The Packers have been more generous towards running backs than wide receivers this season, and rank sixth against wideouts compared to 25th against tailbacks. But Keenan Allen's dominance of the passing game in this offense gives him a ludicrously safe fantasy floor. He should be in the WR1 mix once again.
Week 10 vs. Detroit Lions
Keenan Allen was fairly quiet in Week 9, although he did go past 10,000 receiving yards for his career. Allen managed 11.7 Half PPR points and finished as the WR16. Allen is still averaging 19.08 Half-PPR points per game, but this average is boosted by his form in the opening three weeks of the season. In Weeks 1-3, Allen averaged 10 grabs for 134 yards and 25 Half PPR points. In the five games since, these numbers are down to six, 63.6, and 11.76.
Allen should be able to return to something approaching his early season form against the Lions in Week 10. As stout and stingy as the Lions are to running backs, they are more generous towards wide receivers, ranking 20th in aFPA to wideouts. Allen projects to be a solid WR1 this week.
Week 9 at New York Jets
Keenan Allen put up respectable numbers against the Bears but wasn’t able to make much noise from a fantasy point of view. Eight receptions for 69 yards on 10 targets isn’t nothing, but the 8.6 yards per reception were a season low for Allen, who was also kept out of the end zone for the second game in a row. Allen finished as the WR34 in Half-PPR scoring, a far cry from his seasonal points per game mark as the WR5.
It's not going to get a lot easier for Allen this week, as he could hardly have asked for a more difficult matchup. The Jets rank first in aFPA to wide receivers this season. The injuries and inconsistent nature of Allen’s fellow wide receivers should ensure he remains atop the target totem pole, and it is for this reason that he should be viewed as a mid-tier WR1 this week. A touchdown or two certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Week 8 vs. Chicago Bears
Keenan Allen managed just four receptions for 55 yards in Week 7, giving him 14 grabs combined in the three games since he caught 18 balls against the Vikings in Week 3. Allen managed to tot up 7.5 Half-PPR points, finishing as the WR41. This is a long way off from his seasonal rank of WR2 with an 18.5 points per game average.
The Bears, who the Chargers play in Week 8, have actually been slightly less generous against wide receivers than other positions in 2023. They rank 16th in aFPA to the wideouts, compared to 30th against RBs and 20th versus tight ends. Still, Allen has been a hard man to keep down for the bulk of the season, and it is safe to project a mid-tier WR1 outing from him this week.
Week 7 at Kansas City Chiefs
Keenan Allen's strong start to the 2023 season continued in Week 6 against the Cowboys. Allen saw 11 targets, his third double-digit game of the year, and caught seven of them for 85 yards and a touchdown. Allen finished with 18.0 Half-PPR points, good for a WR5 outing in Week 6, and is averaging more points per game (20.7) than any wide receiver not named Tyreek Hill this season.
It's not a great matchup on paper, with the Chiefs ranking seventh in aFPA to wide receivers this season. But if Allen sees anything approaching his season average of 11 targets, then he can certainly make some fantasy noise once again. He should continue to be viewed as an elite WR1 option until further notice.
Week 6 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Tyreek Hill is the only wide receiver averaging more fantasy points per game than Keenan Allen after five weeks of football. The wily veteran is averaging career-highs with 8.8 receptions and 108.5 receiving yards per game after four outings, along with a whopping 21.4 Half PPR points per game.
Allen faces a stiff test of his fantasy point-scoring abilities in Week 6 with a clash against the Cowboys. Wide receivers have not enjoyed much success against the Cowboys in 2023, with Dan Quinn's charges ranking 9th in aFPA to the position. Still, volume trumps all, and if Allen sees his normal allocation of targets he should still be able to deliver at a high-end WR1 level.
