Joshua Palmer

Week 2 at Carolina Panthers

After logging limited practices Wednesday and Thursday, Palmer went DNP on Friday and was listed questionable. Usually that sort of practice progression doesn't work out well on Sunday's so stay tuned to inactives on Sunday morning.

If Palmer does play, he's a desperation flex play in a low-volume Chargers passing attack in a game he's unlikely to be fully healthy in.

Fantasy Upside
The. case for Josh Plamer ignores the likely run-heavy tendencies of both the head coach and offensive coordinator and hinges on the talent at quarterback with Justin Herbert and the lack thereof around him at receiver. Palmer was 47th in fantasy points per game last season which is where he is being drafted right now. Initially, he should be Justin Herbert's WR1 which has proven useful in fantasy throughout his short career. While rookie Ladd McConkey will also be counted on heavily, the talent behind those two seems unlikely to take away too many targets.

Fantasy Downside
The downside is simple, in a low-volume passing offense a receiver that has never finished higher than WR47 just isn't likely to emerge as a top-36 receiver no matter how talented the quarterback is. Unfortunately, Roman's time in Baltimore was littered with WR6 finishes and not a ton of WR 2/3's. Could the absolute lack of talent around him get him there? Potentially, but it is a scary bet.

2024 Bottom Line
Palmer is in line to start the season as the WR1 in Los Angeles. Whether or not he remains there all season remains to be seen. However, he will have Justin Herbert as his quarterback. Given the types of guys that get drafted around him at WR47 like Jakobi Myers, Jerry Jeudy, and Gabe Davis, you might just prefer Palmer.

Week 16 vs. Buffalo Bills

Josh Palmer was back in the Chargers lineup and it looked like he'd never been away. In the sense that the offense was crumbling and looking disjointed, anyway. Palmer saw four targets and caught all of them for 113 yards and a touchdown on his way to 19.3 Half-PPR points, finishing as the WR11 in that format.

Palmer looks like being the leader of the wide receiver room again, with Keenan Allen's return in some doubt. Still, this promotion does not look like being one that will lead to fortune and glory with Easton Stick at quarterback and the Bills ranking tenth in aFPA to wide receivers to deal with. Palmer should make some noise as a mid-tier WR3, but to expect much more would be opening yourself up to a great deal of disappointment.