Fantasy Upside
Joshua Kelley, who was a healthy scratch in two of the Chargers' final four games, was a bit of a disappointment as a rookie. As CBSSports.com noted, his fall from fantasy grace came precipitously as Kelley saw 47 touches in his first three games as a complement to Austin Ekeler before yielding time to Justin Jackson and then Kalen Ballage as the season progressed. By the time Ekeler (quad) returned from a multi-month absence, Kelley had completely fallen out of the rotation in favor of Ballage despite the two having similarly modest yards-per-carry averages. Looking ahead, the UCLA product could have a chance to increase his role in his second NFL season with a new coaching regime on board. That the Chargers have more invested in him (a 2020 fourth-rounder) than in Jackson (and with Ballage moving on to Pittsburgh via free agency), could work in Kelley's favor.
Fantasy Downside
The Chargers drafted running back Larry Rountree in the sixth round with the thought of him serving as a key special teamer in his rookie season. But USA Today reports that in the eyes of NFL evaluators, the team might have something more valuable.
2021 Bottom Line
Whatever the case, fantasy managers looking to invest in the second piece of this backfield should only do so if they're confident the role is there.