Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers, Round 2, Pick 34
Ladd McConkey was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 34th overall pick, according to Ian Rapoport.
Fantasy Football Impact for Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
It is fair to say the Chargers will be a new-look team in 2024. They started the offseason by hiring Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman, signaling a new offense that should focus on the run. They then traded Keenan Allen to the Bears and did not pursue re-signing Mike Williams. That left Justin Herbert with Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston as his top two receivers, with little depth behind them. It was clear they would draft a wide receiver this weekend, but the question was who and when.
Those questions were answered quickly in the second round, as the Chargers traded up to select Ladd McConkey out of Georgia. McConkey is built to play the slot in the NFL and will immediately fill that role in Los Angeles. Many viewed him as a possible first-round pick, so this could be an immense value for the Chargers and Justin Herbert.
McConkey is not Keenan Allen, and this isn't even the same offense we saw Allen play in last season. Still, Allen played predominantly in the slot, and that is where McConkey will find his home. Don't pencil him in for the 150 targets Allen saw last year; the team will likely throw far less. However, 100 targets as a rookie playing with Justin Herbert could still net fantasy value, especially in PPR formats.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
After the team traded Allen and lost Williams in free agency, Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston looked set to inherit over 175 vacated targets. The addition of a prototypical slot receiver will significantly reduce those targets. Williams missed much of last season, so it was Allen's 150 targets set to be distributed. Allen played slot on over 50% of his snaps last season, and that role should fall to McConkey.
Palmer has 167 targets over the last two seasons and averaged 10.6 fantasy points per game. His role should expand with Allen gone, and he could be in line for another 100 targets, matching what he had in 2022. He finished as the WR36 in fantasy that season, and that is likely his ceiling in 2024.
Johnston did almost nothing to establish himself in Mike Williams' absence. The team drafted him to replace Williams, but that did not happen in his rookie year. He played in all 17 games but finished with just 38 receptions, 431 yards, and two touchdowns on 67 targets. With a new coaching regime and scheme, there could be fewer three-wide-receiver sets, and Johnston would likely cede snaps to both Palmer and McConkey.
Stock Watch
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Overview
The Chargers drafted Ladd McConkey in the 2nd Round of the NFL Draft. He fills a slot role for the team after they traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears earlier this offseason.
For more information on the 2024 NFL Draft, check out the Footballguys Rookie Draft Guide, where you can read about the Chargers' Ladd McConkey and other rookie team fits.