Fantasy Upside
No surprise here, but the Chargers locked Keenan Allen up this offseason with a four-year contract extension worth more than $44 million. The deal ensures that both Allen and Philip Rivers will be under team control through at least the 2019 season. Allen's contract runs through 2020. If he continues to perform, this big contract won't be his last. Selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Cal, Allen compiled 1,046 receiving yards and eight TDs. He posted 725 receiving yards and four touchdowns over eight games in a 2015 campaign limited by injury. As NFL.com reminded readers, prior to suffering lacerated kidney on Nov. 1, Allen had a stunning 67 receptions on the season, which tied him for third most in NFL history over an eight-game span behind Julio Jones and Marvin Harrison. More importantly, the Chargers had the NFL's No. 1 offense in the eight games with Allen. In the eight without, they ranked 24th, their average yards per game falling from 423.3 to 320.4, a difference of 102.9.
Fantasy Downside
Allen's 2015 season ended when he was placed on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney on Nov. 3, which followed a hip flexor injury in October. While the missed time certainly was a limiting factor in his touchdown production, he wasn't all that impressive in that department in 2014 either (he finished with just four TDs on 77 catches that season after hauling in three TDs on 71 catches as a rookie). In addition, Allen's 11.9-yard average per catch for his career won't scare a ton of free safeties, but that's what the Chargers brought in Travis Benjamin to provide.
2016 Bottom Line
Healthy (he was working in OTAs) and still only 24 years old, Allen is one of the most talented possession receivers in the game. With the offensive line improved and upgrades around him, other than the retirement of Malcom Floyd, look for Allen to turn in a career year, blowing away his rookie marks of 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns back in 2013.