Johnston and Joshua Palmer (knee) are the top wide receivers left on the Chargers after the team released Mike Williams (knee) and traded Keenan Allen to Chicago.
The 2023 first-round pick should have every chance to earn a starting job even if the Chargers end up bringing in another wide receiver via an early pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The lack of target competition is promising for fantasy purposes, while Johnston's rookie-year performance and new coaching staff are considerably less promising. Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman are known for prioritizing the running game, and the team's willingness to move on from both Allen and Williams further hint at that being the plan in Los Angeles despite having QB Justin Herbert under contract long term. Johnston said earlier this offseason that he expects a "breakout" under Harbaugh, after managing just 431 yards in 17 games as a rookie.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Expects breakout in 2024
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Johnston recently said he has a "world of confidence" in himself and expects a "breakout" in 2024 under new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, ESPN.com's Kris Rhim reports.
Johnston had a disappointing rookie season by the standards of a No. 21 overall pick, catching 38 of 67 targets (56.7 percent) for 431 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games. He had just one outing with more than six targets and none with more than seven, despite making 10 starts and playing 64.6 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps. Johnston didn't have the best circumstances, to be fair, especially after QB Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury Week 14. The new coaching staff led by Harbaugh can't possibly be worse than what Brandon Staley and co. offered, though the change does bring about the possibility of more emphasis on the running game after four straight seasons in which Herbert averaged more than 35 pass attempts per appearance. Fellow WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams (ACL) also are under contract for 2024, albeit with the possibility for the Chargers to free up $20 million or more in cap space if either is traded or released.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Minimal production on five targets
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Johnston recorded two receptions on five targets for 17 yards in Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Chiefs.
Even in the absence of Keenan Allen (heel), Johnston has struggled to consistently command targets. That continued Sunday, as he tied for fourth on the team with five targets, and he's failed to top that mark in three of the four games that Allen has been sidelined. Johnston closes his rookie campaign with a disappointing 38 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Sees six targets in loss
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Johnston had three receptions (six targets) for 29 yards in Sunday's 16-9 loss to Denver.
The Chargers were without their three receivers who figured to be their primary options at the start of the season, so Johnston finished as one of three replacement wideouts to see six or more targets Sunday. The first-round rookie failed to capitalize on the added opportunity, posting his third consecutive game of 30 or fewer receiving yards. Johnston's role and fantasy value should remain unchanged heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Chiefs.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Scores late TD
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Johnston caught of his three targets for 23 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 63-21 loss to the Raiders.
Despite Keenan Allen (heel) being out for the divisional matchup and an insurmountable deficit by the end of the first half that should have set the stage for more passing opportunities, the rookie didn't draw any additional looks. It's hard to know what Johnston's role will be moving forward, especially with head coach Brandon Staley since fired, but it's clear the downgrade at quarterback with Easton Stick limits any potential fantasy upside.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Rough showing in primetime
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Johnston secured one of three targets for seven yards during Sunday night's 20-10 loss to the Ravens.
Johnston exited Sunday's loss in the third quarter due to a rib injury and didn't retake the field, though coach Brandon Staley said after the game that the rookie first-round pick was medically cleared. "It wasn't that [Johnston] couldn't go back in the game," Staley told Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times. "We just didn't feel like... it was the right thing to go back in the game." Johnston also had a crucial drop on the final drive of Los Angeles' loss to the Packers in Week 11, and he may not have much more leeway for error before running the risk of falling out of favor with his coaching staff. He faces a tough matchup against New England's secondary Week 12.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Big drop Sunday
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Johnston caught two of six targets for 21 yards in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Packers.
Johnston's underwhelming performance was marred by a critical drop on Los Angeles' final drive, preventing the team from entering scoring position. The rookie first-rounder has just one 50-yard game and one touchdown through his first 10 appearances, struggling to make a significant impact despite playing in one of the league's better passing offenses.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Sleeper WRs
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Johnston and Jalen Guyton are both in play this week as No. 3 Fantasy receivers in deeper leagues. Both are coming off productive outings in Week 10 against the Lions, and both should be popular targets for Justin Herbert. Against Detroit, Johnston had four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown on four targets, and he also drew two long pass interference calls. Guyton had four catches for 41 yards and a touchdown on six targets, and both receivers are pressed into action with Mike Williams (knee) and Josh Palmer (knee) out, along with Gerald Everett (back) now injured. The Packers have a tough secondary, but I still expect one of Johnston or Guyton to step up with Herbert in need of help in the passing game aside from just Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Johnston is beginning to trend in the right direction, but his lack of explosiveness is a little alarming. Pair that with a tough road matchup and it's impossible to feel good about starting Johnston. Keep him benched; I'd rather chance it with Josh Downs, Jahan Dotson or Demario Douglas.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Could benefit sans Palmer
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Johnston could be a featured target in the Chargers' passing attack Monday against the Jets with Joshua Palmer (knee) ruled out for the game.
With Mike Williams (knee) lost for the season after Week 3, Palmer had stepped in as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Keenan Allen over the Chargers' past four games, producing a 15-294-0 receiving line on 26 targets. Along with Allen, running back Austin Ekeler will likely be heavily utilized in the passing game Week 9, but quarterback Justin Herbert has typically leaned on at least three pass catchers in a given game even in the most dire of situations, and the New York defense poses a significant obstacle specifically against the ground game. Johnston, a 2023 first-round pick, is coming off a Week 8 performance against a weak Bears defense in which he saw his most involvement to date, producing five catches for 50 yards on six targets. Though he gets a more difficult matchup Monday, Johnston may have a better opportunity than he's had at any point this season to see heightened snaps and increased target volume.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Extra run after Palmer exits
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Johnston had five receptions on six targets for 50 yards in Sunday's 30-13 win over the Bears.
Johnston set new highs in receptions, yards and targets, in large part because No. 2 wideout Joshua Palmer aggravated the knee injury he picked up in a loss to Kansas City in Week 7. Palmer was able to return after exiting in the first quarter and finished out the victory with no reported issues. That said, this is the second injury scare for Palmer within a week's time, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the him held out of practice this week for precautionary reasons. Johnston would receive a boost in value should he wind up starting opposite Keenan Allen next Monday against the Jets, and the rookie makes for a good insurance policy for those planning to play Palmer in Week 9.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Still not a major factor
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Johnston caught his lone target for 20 yards in the 31-17 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.
It's hard to label a first-round pick a bust just six games into his career, but at least from a fantasy perspective, there's just little optimism for Johnston at the moment. The rookie is the clear third option at wide receiver behind Keenan Allen (62 snaps) and Joshua Palmer (59 snaps), but it's the team's insistence to avoid three-wideout personnel that has hindered opportunities for Johnston to get more involved. If every there was a chance to break out, however, it could come Week 8 against a Bears defense that struggled most of the season.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Absent from box score
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Johnston did not record a catch on his two targets in a 20-17 loss to the Cowboys on Monday.
There was hope the Chargers would use their early Week 5 bye to assimilate the rookie into the offense with Mike Williams (knee) out for the season, but that optimism was quickly erased as the combination of Keenan Allen and Joshua Palmer accounted for 18 of Justin Herbert's 37 pass attempts in Monday's loss. To make matters worse for Johnston's fantasy managers, Austin Ekeler returned to his typical pass-catching role after a multi-game absence and recorded four catches on six targets for 35 yards, leaving few opportunities for Johnston. The TCU standout's playing time continues to ever-so-gradually trend up, but the 22-year-old is going to need to actually do something with the increased workload to be worth having active on fantasy rosters.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Quiet once again Sunday
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Johnston caught one of his three targets for 18 yards in the 24-17 win over the Raiders on Sunday.
Johnston looked like a candidate to see a significant uptick in opportunities after Mike Williams (knee) suffered a season-ending injury Week 3, but the rookie first-round pick remained only a minor contributor in the passing game Sunday. The fact that the Chargers attempted just 24 passes likely played a factor in Johnston's limited output, but the pecking order clearly favors Keenan Allen (five targets) and Joshua Palmer (eight targets) by a wide margin. Additionally, running back Austin Ekeler (ankle) should be ready to return following the Chargers' Week 5 bye, pushing Johnston further down the hierarchy for targets.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Stashes (WR Preview)
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You still can't start Johnston until he shows something, but the Mike Williams injury means we should at least see the rookie on the field more. I said it last week, but it's far more true now. You cannot leave this first-round rookie who plays with Justin Herbert on the waiver wire. He's a must-stash.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Week 4 Waiver Priority List
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The Chargers lost Mike Williams for the season to a torn ACL in Week 3 at Minnesota, and now we should get to see more of first-round rookie Quentin Johnston. But I would add Josh Palmer first if you're looking for immediate help. He's been the No. 3 receiver all season ahead of Johnston, and Justin Herbert already has a built in rapport with Palmer. He has 12 targets in his past two outings against the Titans and Vikings, and Palmer had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown on seven targets at Minnesota. Johnston has five catches for 26 yards on eight targets for the season, but he should have the higher ceiling of the two. He's played less than 28 percent of the snaps in three games (Palmer has been at 54 percent or higher over that span), but now the Chargers need Johnston to step up with Williams out. Keep in mind Keenan Allen, Gerald Everett and Austin Ekeler (ankle), when healthy, will all command targets as well. But this is a big opportunity for Palmer and Johnston to step up with Williams out. Palmer is worth at least 10 percent of your FAB, and I would spend at least 15 percent on Johnston since he should be the better Fantasy option by the end of the season.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Expanded role on tap
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Johnston is slated for a larger role on offense with Mike Williams (knee) having suffered a season-ending ACL tear, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Johnston has played less than 25 percent of offensive snaps in each of the Chargers' first three games this season, but he'll need to step up quickly for the passing game with Williams, an every-down player, done for the year. The rookie first-round pick profiles particularly well as a deep threat, which makes him both an ideal fit for Justin Herbert's arm talent and as a complement to Keenan Allen, but he has yet to flash that explosiveness at the NFL level. Sunday's upcoming matchup against a struggling Raiders secondary could set the stage well for Johnston to take advantage of his new opportunity, however. Meanwhile, Joshua Palmer also figures to step into a larger spotlight in the wake of Williams' injury.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Week 3 Early Waiver Targets (Add/Drop)
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Johnston has been pretty much a non-factor through his first three career games, with just 26 scrimmage yards while running fourth pretty consistently among the Chargers wide receivers. However, he may be forced into a larger role moving forward after Mike Williams left Sunday's game with a knee injury. "Next man up" doesn't always work in Fantasy Football, especially when it comes to the passing game, but in this case, it's worth rolling the dice on a first-round WR who could be in line for a bigger role, replacing a player who does a lot of the same things in the offense that Johnston should be able to do, at least in theory. That doesn't necessarily mean Johnston is going to be a useful Fantasy option – I certainly wouldn't start him in Week 4 against the Raiders unless I was absolutely desperate – but I'd rather be a week early on adding him than a week late and miss my opportunity.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Little playing time again
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Johnston caught one of his two targets for seven yards in the 27-24 overtime loss to the Titans on Sunday.
The Chargers have a deep wide receiver corps, but it's a bit surprising to see the 2023 first-round pick play just 10 total snaps Sunday after registering a paltry 22 in his NFL debut last week. With Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer all healthy, it's understandably hard for the rookie target to crack the rotation. However, given the draft capital invested in the big-bodied target, it feels unlikely Johnston will continue to be a non-factor as the season progresses.
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Chargers' Quentin Johnston: Just 22 offensive snaps
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Johnston tallied two catches on three targets for nine yards in Sunday's 36-34 loss to the Dolphins.
Despite the fact Mike Williams was sidelined for part of the first half due to a head injury, Johnston only saw 22 offensive snaps, far below supposed No. 4 wide receiver Joshua Palmer's 55. It's possible the Chargers simply want to ease Johnston into NFL action, but the big-bodied first-round pick was expected to fill a significant role right away. His fantasy upside in Week 2 against the Titans could depend on Williams' availability.
