Hey, we don't have to worry about Keenan Allen being underutilized in the Jim Harbaugh/Greg Roman run-focused offense. Because Allen won't be playing in it; he's been traded to the Bears. So there are different things we can worry about.
New concerns include, will Justin Herbert have anyone to throw to, will Allen and DJ Moore cannibalize each other's production in a passing game led by a rookie quarterback (or just maybe Justin Fields, seeing as he's still around), and will the Chargers now be using their top pick on a wide receiver (who we can worry about being underutilized in the Jim Harbaugh/Greg roman run-focused offense). It's not a trade that inspires a lot of excitement. Or confidence (why are the Bears, who don't immediately leap to mind when considering championship contenders, bringing in a wide receiver who turns 32 next month?).
But the Bears played well, especially on defense, the second half of last year, so maybe they're ready to make some playoff noise in the NFC North. Certainly, they've got an awfully friendly receiving duo for whoever they're putting on the field at quarterback.
Not only are they the only team with a pair of top-10 fantasy wideouts from last season (in PPR, Moore was 6th and Allen was 8th), but they appear to have perhaps the most efficient duo, too. Last year, 35 wide receivers saw at least 100 targets. Allen and Moore (even working as he was with Fields and rookie Tyson Bagent) were two of just 10 that caught over 70 percent of those passes sent their way.
| WIDE RECEIVER CATCH RATES, 2023 (100+ TARGETS) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ctch% |
| Rashee Rice, K.C. | 102 | 79 | 938 | 11.9 | 7 | 77.5% |
| Adam Thielen, Car. | 137 | 103 | 1014 | 9.8 | 4 | 75.2% |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 181 | 135 | 1749 | 13.0 | 14 | 74.6% |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 109 | 80 | 1297 | 16.2 | 8 | 73.4% |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 164 | 119 | 1515 | 12.7 | 10 | 72.6% |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 112 | 81 | 1066 | 13.2 | 7 | 72.3% |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 150 | 108 | 1243 | 11.5 | 7 | 72.0% |
| Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 105 | 75 | 1342 | 17.9 | 7 | 71.4% |
| Zay Flowers, Balt. | 108 | 77 | 858 | 11.1 | 6 | 71.3% |
| DJ Moore, Chi. | 136 | 96 | 1364 | 14.2 | 9 | 70.6% |
| Michael Pittman, Ind. | 156 | 109 | 1152 | 10.6 | 4 | 69.9% |
| Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 171 | 119 | 1799 | 15.1 | 13 | 69.6% |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 104 | 72 | 1014 | 14.1 | 4 | 69.2% |
| JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 145 | 100 | 1216 | 12.2 | 7 | 69.0% |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 100 | 68 | 1074 | 15.8 | 5 | 68.0% |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 158 | 106 | 1456 | 13.7 | 7 | 67.1% |
| Jakobi Meyers, L.V. | 106 | 71 | 807 | 11.4 | 10 | 67.0% |
| Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 160 | 107 | 1183 | 11.1 | 8 | 66.9% |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 160 | 105 | 1486 | 14.2 | 6 | 65.6% |
| Jordan Addison, Min. | 108 | 70 | 911 | 13.0 | 10 | 64.8% |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 122 | 79 | 894 | 11.3 | 5 | 64.8% |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 130 | 83 | 1024 | 12.3 | 3 | 63.8% |
| Chris Olave, N.O. | 138 | 87 | 1123 | 12.9 | 5 | 63.0% |
| Drake London, Atl. | 110 | 69 | 905 | 13.1 | 2 | 62.7% |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 132 | 79 | 1002 | 12.7 | 5 | 59.8% |
| George Pickens, Pitt. | 106 | 63 | 1140 | 18.1 | 5 | 59.4% |
| Davante Adams, L.V. | 175 | 103 | 1144 | 11.1 | 8 | 58.9% |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 136 | 79 | 1255 | 15.9 | 13 | 58.1% |
| Elijah Moore, Cle. | 104 | 59 | 640 | 10.9 | 2 | 56.7% |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 168 | 95 | 1042 | 11.0 | 3 | 56.5% |
| Amari Cooper, Cle. | 128 | 72 | 1250 | 17.4 | 5 | 56.3% |
| Calvin Ridley, Jac. | 136 | 76 | 1016 | 13.4 | 8 | 55.9% |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 119 | 66 | 1114 | 16.9 | 8 | 55.5% |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Ten. | 137 | 75 | 1057 | 14.1 | 7 | 54.7% |
| Marquise Brown, Ari. | 101 | 51 | 574 | 11.3 | 4 | 50.5% |
Coincidentally, the table also highlights a couple of other receivers affected by overnight developments. Hollywood Brown signed with Kansas City, which gives Patrick Mahomes both the top (Rashee Rice) and bottom-performing wide receivers on this list. Presumably Brown will benefit from working with the game's best quarterback, although fantasy-wise you wonder a little if he (and/or Rice) will be hurt some by playing in an offense that now has two good wide receivers (along with Travis Kelce) for the first time in a while.
But it's a question, I think, that applies a lot more to Chicago. Mahomes is a known commodity. Caleb Williams, or far less likely Fields, is not.
Final note: Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnson. They're now the top 2 wideouts in Los Angeles. Will the Chargers be dipping into the draft's top wide receivers (they pick 5th overall, probably one or two spots too late to take Marvin Harrison Jr., but a perfect spot to grab LSU's Malik Nabers, should they be so inclined)? Or will they be sending it out with last year's first-rounder and Palmer, who's been just OK with his opportunities the last few years? Either way, kind of a rough morning, I think, for those holding Justin Herbert in dynasty leagues, as if the coaching moves weren't concerning enough.
--Andy Richardson