Heading into his 11th professional season, wide receiver Keenan Allen has only made it a full season twice, with the most recent occurrence happening in 2021. With the Los Angeles Chargers looking to find a new gear for their offense in 2023, can Allen be counted on for a full role, a role that can still help your fantasy football team?

Even in his part-time seasons, Allen still has shown elite traits, which can still benefit your fantasy football roster. But Justin Herbert can also target Mike Williams, Joshua Palmer, Gerald Everett, and first-round rookie Quentin Johnston in the passing game, which could potentially knock Allen down a peg or two.

The pecking order for the Chargers looks to still have Allen at the top, but his footing there isn’t as strong as it used to be. Is it still likely that he remains Herbert’s go-to target? Or will the ‘23 season be his first in a diminished role?

2022 Season in Review

89 targets, 66 receptions, 752 yards, 4 TDs

In 10 games last season, Allen produced his lowest yardage and reception totals since 2016. With the explosion of Williams and the offense looking a bit stagnant at times, Allen was missed, but maybe not as much as you would think.

The Chargers are very used to not having Allen around for a full season, which is why having Williams continue to break out helps Allen’s absence. While Herbert fought through an early-season injury to his ribs, his stats certainly were not as strong as in years past, which could be chalked up to not having Allen at his disposal.

A season that ended in the Chargers crumbling in the playoffs was a less-than-fitting way to end their 2022 NFL season. Even though Allen did not suit up for a full year, he still put up semi-decent numbers along the way, both for the Chargers and for your fantasy football squad.

2023 Season Preview

Allen’s role in ‘23 is not only reliant on how the depth chart plays out, but also how new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore feels is best to utilize his skills. Under former OC Joe Lombardi, the Chargers’ offensive play-calling turned more conservative last year, with Lombardi even admitting his faults.

With Lombardi out of the picture, in steps Moore, who previously was the OC under Mike McCarthy for the Dallas Cowboys. Having been a former NFL quarterback himself, Moore understands what all goes into running an above-average NFL offense, and hopefully will bring those notions to LA.

It must be a dream for Moore to have Allen, Johnston, and Williams all at his disposal to utilize. Expecting this Chargers offense to resemble what it looked like last season could not be further from the truth, and unleashing the passing offense will rely on Allen’s health.

It’s absolutely in the realm of possibilities for Allen to crack 1,000 receiving yards and 6+ touchdowns, and yet it’s also a possibility that he continues his decline and hauls in less than 60 receptions for under 700 yards. Allen’s health is the most important factor in how his 11th season in the NFL goes.

Projected Stats

101 targets, 78 receptions, 842 yards, 5 TDs

Even with these uncertainties, it’s incredibly tough to not be bullish towards Allen’s upcoming NFL season, especially for fantasy football. The cards are all aligning for this offense, and the building blocks are already being put into place during training camp to help flesh out Allen’s role.

Allen’s recent comments about his role in the offense makes it seem that he will be lined up all over the field this season. If Moore is trying to utilize Allen like he is the team’s WR1 and Herbert’s top target, then seeing Allen both in the slot and split out wide makes a ton of sense.

The flexibility in his role will only help open up the offense – by moving Allen around the formation, defenses will need to pick their poison at times, which could mean that Allen sees fewer double-teams this year.

The projected stats for Allen are a step up for last season but still on the low side when compared to his career numbers. Expecting Allen to produce a full season at age 31 is a big-time risk, so missing a few games is baked into the above projections.

Both Williams and Johnston, as well as Everett and running back Austin Ekeler, will all have important roles in the passing game, which will help keep Herbert incredibly busy. If Moore decides to utilize passing work that moves the ball around and does not focus on just one receiver, then Allen likely will fail to even sniff a 1,000-yard season.

The Chargers have been riding the wave of offensive headlines this offseason, something that will only continue if the offense looks solid in the regular season. Allen will play a huge role in the offensive attack actually taking that next step, but just be aware that his injury history looms large in any expectations for your fantasy football roster this upcoming season.