Fantasy Football Player Notes

Since his return, Hampton has had a 33.8% snap rate, a 17.6% route share, and only a 5.5% target share. He has averaged 15.5 touches and 66 total yards as the Bolts' goal-line back. In those two games, Hampton has had six red zone rushing attempts versus Kimani Vidal's one. Hampton has looked like a shell of himself, though, with an 11% missed tackle rate and 1.25 yards after contact per attempt. He's a middling flex play again this week. Since Week 11, Dallas's run defense has been beastly, giving up the second-fewest rushing yards per game, the 11th-fewest yards after contact per attempt, the ninth-fewest yards before contact per attempt, and the 13th-lowest rushing success rate.

Ladd McConkey might be the WR16 in fantasy points per game, but his fantasy stock has been in freefall with the Chargers' passing attack tanking over the last few games. Since Week 9, McConkey has had only two top 36 weekly finishes and one game in which he surpassed 60 receiving yards. Since Week 9, he has had a 17.7% target share with 41.2 receiving yards per game with 1.47 yards per route run and a 13.9% first-read share. In those six games, he has had four red zone targets and five deep targets. McConkey has become a risky flex play with a good matchup this week. Since Week 10, Dallas has allowed the tenth-most PPR points per target and the seventh-most receiving yards per game to slot receivers.

Keenan Allen is the WR35 in fantasy points per game, but he hasn't finished inside the top-36 in weekly scoring among wide receivers since Week 7. That was also the last time that Allen surpassed 55 receiving yards in a game. Since Week 8, Allen has had an 18% target share with 35 receiving yards per game, 1.58 yards per route run, and a 23.1% first-read share. In those seven games, he has had only two red zone targets and four deep targets. Maybe the plus matchup this week against Dallas helps to elevate Allen's stat line, but this Chargers offense has also skewed run-heavy to protect Justin Herbert, and I don't see that changing this week. Allen is just another middling flex play this week. Since Week 10, Dallas has allowed the eighth-most PPR points per target and the seventh-most receiving yards per game to perimeter wide receivers.

Over the last two weeks, Kimani Vidal has been a decent flex play as the Chargers' passing-down back. In those two weeks, Vidal has averaged 14 touches and 76 total yards while compiling a 66.9% snap rate, a 56.8% route share, and a 7.3% target share. Vidal has only one red zone rushing attempt in that span, so the odds of him scoring a touchdown are slim. Overall, among 58 qualifying backs, Vidal ranks 25th in explosive run rate and 40th in yards after contact per attempt. Since Week 11, Dallas's run defense has been beastly, giving up the second-fewest rushing yards per game, the 11th-fewest yards after contact per attempt, the ninth-fewest yards before contact per attempt, and the 13th-lowest rushing success rate. Vidal is an uninspiring volume-based flex again this week.

Last week, Gadsden saw his route share dip to 54.5% while he still had a 17.2% target share with 61 receiving yards (3.39 yards per route run), and a 13.6% first-read share. Over the last two games, Gadsden has finished as the TE50 and TE15 in weekly scoring with a 16.4% target share, 34 receiving yards per game, 1.45 yards per route run, an 11.4% first-read share, and two deep targets (zero red zone targets). Gadsden is just a middling streaming option at tight end this week with a wide range of outcomes. Since Week 10, Dallas has allowed the 13th-highest yards per target and ranked 18th in fantasy points per game against tight ends.

Quentin Johnston missed last week's game with a groin injury. He has practiced on a limited basis all week and has been listed as questionable. With the Chargers operating as a run-heavy team and Johnston's volatility factored in, I can't trust him as a flex option this week. Johnston hasn't had more than 53 receiving yards in a game since Week 4. Since Week 5, he has finished as a top 24 receiver in weekly scoring only once. Could he burn me this week against Dallas? It's possible, as Dallas has allowed the eighth-most PPR points per target and the seventh-most receiving yards per game to perimeter wide receivers since Week 10. Still, it's also tough to depend on Johnston this week with his track record and in a passing offense that, since Week 14, has had the seventh-lowest neutral passing rate.