Travis Benjamin

Week 4 vs. New Orleans
Travis Benjamin has stepped up pretty nicely in the absence of Keenan Allen. Last week, he caught four passes for 82 yards on seven targets and in two full games without Allen has a line of 10-197-2 (13).

Benjamin gets a great rank this week coming in as a solid WR1 option at ninth on our WR list. San Diego gets the Saints at home, who are 13th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. This may be about as high as you'll see Benjamin ranked on our list this season, so he's a pretty safe start for owners. Benjamin has another friendly matchup next week against the Raiders before things get pretty tough for a stretch.

Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
Last week Travis Benjamin caught seven passes for 32 yards on eight targets. It was kind of an odd game in that Keenan Allen was putting up great numbers on the other side while Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead were scoring the TDs. With Allen now out for the rest of the year, Benjamin is poised to take over the the team's WR1 role, something he pretty much did while in Cleveland last year.

We're a little more used to bigger plays from Benjamin but that remains to be seen in this offense. And, it's a tough matchup in that the Jags are 10th in allowing fantasy points to WRs. Tyrell Williams seems poised to take over for Allen, especially as a deep ball threat, and while he's gained a lot of positive press in camp, he's a bit of an unknown. Benjamin is ranked 33rd on our WR list so he's an average WR3 play. The hope is Williams develops into a threat to allow Benjamin more freedom.

Fantasy Upside
The Chargers secured another playmaker for Philip Rivers by adding Travis Benjamin in free agency. From a fantasy perspective, Benjamin fills a void in San Diego's offense for a deep threat created by the retirement of Malcom Floyd. Benjamin also adds a playmaker to the Chargers' return game. San Diego averaged a league-low 4.2 yards a punt return in 2015. In fact, the Chargers finished last in the NFL in 2015 with 84 total punt return yards, the lowest total by any NFL team since 1981. Speed is Benjamin's forte. His average of 12.6 yards per return ranks first in the NFL since he entered the league in 2012. He is one of seven players with three punt returns for a touchdown in that time, and he holds the Browns' record for punt-return yardage in a game (179 in 2013) and longest punt return (93 yards in 2012). He also had five receiving touchdowns last season.

Fantasy Downside
Benjamin, a smaller, shiftier type of receiver, doesn't fit into the more imposing physical mold that Floyd and Antonio Gates represent which leaves some wondering if he'll be an ideal fit for the offense.

2016 Bottom Line
I'm not buying into that downside. I think Rivers is more than capable of taking advantage of the skills his newest receiver brings to the table. That being the case, I expect Rivers, who threw the ball 662 times last season (and who has at least 527 attempts every season since 2010), and returning OC Ken Whisenhunt to maximize Benjamin's play-making ability. Working in receiving corps led by Keenan Allen will also work in Benjamin's favor.