The Thursday Night Football game is a battle of the worst teams in the AFC West. Sadly, injuries are critical for this showdown slate. One stud is already out after having season-ending surgery, and two others might miss the contest. The visitors are top-heavy and have only a few options. The hosts have more viable selections.
Game: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Spread: LV -3.0
Over/Under: 34.0 Points
Chargers Analysis: Unfortunately, Justin Herbert is out for the rest of the season. Additionally, Keenan Allen is out. Easton Stick is a viable option because he's a starting quarterback on the showdown slate. However, the sledding is tough without Allen.
Austin Ekeler made the most of his get-right spot against the Broncos last week, carrying the ball 10 times for 51 yards and one touchdown. He also had seven targets, five receptions and 49 yards, pushing his total to 100 scrimmage yards. Ekeler's effort last week halted his three-game stretch of futility.
The matchup for Ekeler isn't Charmin-soft this week. Still, according to The 33rd Team, the Raiders have allowed 119.0 scrimmage yards per game, 3.8 yards per carry, 5.3 receptions per game and three touchdowns to running backs in their past three games. Ekeler could be a favorite option for Stick after netting five targets on Stick's 24 pass attempts last week, which is good for a 20.8% target share.
The light might be turning on for Quentin Johnston. The rookie wide receiver's season-high for receiving yards through his first 11 games was 50. He's bested that in back-to-back games, catching five passes for 52 yards in Week 13 and three for 91 in Week 14.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Johnston was second on the Chargers in routes (77) since Week 13. Thus, while Joshua Palmer should return this week, Johnston should be a mainstay on the field.
The matchup is tasty for the rookie wide receiver. According to The 33rd Team, he's aligned wide at a 72.8% rate this season. Meanwhile, the Raiders have coughed up 21.6 DraftKings points per game and 16.4 FanDuel points per game to perimeter wide receivers in their previous three games versus 15.7 and 12.9 to slots.
Raiders Analysis: Since Antonio Pierce was named the team's interim head coach, the offense has funneled through Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams. Jacobs has handled 100 of Las Vegas's backfield's 112 rush attempts, rushing for 397 yards (79.4 per game) and three touchdowns. He's also had 11 targets, nine receptions and 54 receiving yards.
Jacobs hurt his knee and exited last week's game in the fourth quarter. Despite some inaccurate reporting about limited participation on Tuesday, he hasn't practiced this week. Najee Harris didn't practice last week before suiting on Thursday. So, Jacobs could play. He'll be one of the best selections on this showdown slate if he suits up.
Zamir White is included on the table as an intriguing punt at DraftKings if Jacobs is inactive. The Chargers have permitted 139.8 scrimmage yards per game, 6.0 receptions per game and one touchdown to running backs since Week 11.
Adams is the other focal point of the offense. The stud No. 1 wideout has had a 33.8% target share and 592 air yards in the last five games. He's parlayed his mouthwatering usage into 29 receptions (5.8 per game), 328 receiving yards (65.5 per game) and one receiving touchdown.
Aidan O'Connell hasn't played well. He's passed for 1,052 yards (210.4 per game), three touchdowns and five interceptions in five starts for Pierce. The rookie is also a complete non-factor on the ground, rushing for only eight yards in those games. Nevertheless, O'Connell is the quarterback on the betting favorite in this game, putting him in the mix as a viable choice. He might not have a long leash after Pierce failed to commit to him as the starter on Wednesday.
Hunter Renfrow is an exciting punt, especially at DK. His 22 routes in Week 12, Las Vegas's first game since their bye, were the most he ran since Week 4. Renfrow also had a season-high 46 receiving yards on three receptions last week.
The 27-year-old wide receiver has had a 90.7% slot rate this season. Since Week 11, the Chargers have yielded 23.1 DK and 19.7 FD points per game to slots.
Michael Mayer is the other intriguing piece of Las Vegas's offense. He hasn't had the same success as Sam LaPorta or Dalton Kincaid. Nevertheless, Mayer has climbed to the top of the depth chart. Since Week 9, he's run 116 routes versus 43 for Austin Hooper.
In the Raiders' previous five games, Mayer has had multiple receptions four times, cleared 25 receiving yards twice, exceeded 45 once and caught a touchdown once. He can do enough this week to pay off his punt salary.
Final Thoughts: In the following order, Adams, Ekeler, Jacobs and O'Connell are the best choices for Captain/MVP. Finally, lineups ranging from balanced to Raiders onslaughts are the most appealing constructions.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
