NFL Player News

Johnston caught one of his three targets for 18 yards in the 24-17 win over the Raiders on Sunday.

Johnston looked like a candidate to see a significant uptick in opportunities after Mike Williams (knee) suffered a season-ending injury Week 3, but the rookie first-round pick remained only a minor contributor in the passing game Sunday. The fact that the Chargers attempted just 24 passes likely played a factor in Johnston's limited output, but the pecking order clearly favors Keenan Allen (five targets) and Joshua Palmer (eight targets) by a wide margin. Additionally, running back Austin Ekeler (ankle) should be ready to return following the Chargers' Week 5 bye, pushing Johnston further down the hierarchy for targets.

Palmer caught three of his eight targets for 77 yards in Sunday's 24-17 win over the Raiders.

Palmer snared a 51-yard dart by quarterback Justin Herbert on the final throw of the game, salvaging what would have been a disappointing outing for fantasy managers, especially in the absence of Mike Williams (knee). With the Chargers on a bye next week, it's entirely possible the coaching staff will work to better implement 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston into the offensive scheme, but it's hard to imagine that will directly come at the expense of Palmer, who has 20 targets over the last three contests.

Adams recorded eight receptions on 13 targets for 75 yards in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Chargers.

Adams had a few obstacles to a productive day, the first of which was having fourth-round rookie Aidan O'Connell as his quarterback. He also suffered a shoulder injury in the first half and entered halftime having failed to record a catch. However, with the Raiders trying to catch up on the scoreboard, he managed to turn in a respectable performance thanks to a huge amount of volume in the second half. It was far from Adams' most efficient performance, but considering the challenges he faced, it was a more than passable effort.

Thomas secured four of six targets for 53 yards in the Saints' 26-9 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Thomas led the Saints in receiving yards on a day when a less-than-100-percent Derek Carr averaged only 3.4 yards per attempt. The veteran wideout has yet to turn in anything resembling one of his trademark performances of seasons past, but he's at least remained healthy for the first four games and has seen no fewer than six targets in any contest. Thomas' next opportunity to build on what is now a 22-219-0 line on 32 targets comes in a Week 5 road matchup against the Patriots.

Allen caught three of his five passes for 32 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-17 win over the Raiders.

Up until the final throw of the game, a 51-yard dime to Joshua Palmer to seal the win, Allen was easily the team's top target as the Chargers largely sat on a massive first-half lead that evaporated quickly over the final 30 minutes. While the veteran's five targets were easily his lowest this season, quarterback Justin Herbert attempted only 24 passes total thanks mostly to game script. With Mike Williams (knee) on injured reserve, expect the passing attack to lean heavily on Allen until the youngsters like Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis get more acclimated to the offense.

Boyd recorded four receptions on seven targets for 26 yards in Sunday's 27-3 loss to the Titans.

Boyd remained relatively unproductive, as he failed to record a reception of longer than nine yards. He's yet to top 55 receiving yards in any game this season despite seeing at least seven targets on three occasions. That leaves him in an interesting position in the upcoming weeks, as Tee Higgins (ribs) could be set to miss at least the Bengals' Week 5 matchup against the Cardinals. That could potentially increase Boyd's volume, but his problem to this point in the campaign has been efficiency as opposed to opportunity.

Hopkins recorded four receptions on six targets for 63 yards in Sunday's 27-3 win over the Bengals.

Hopkins had to settle for a tie for the team lead in targets, and he now has between five and seven targets in each of his last three games. He managed the majority of his production in Sunday's win on a deep catch down the left side of the field that went for 37 yards in the middle of the second quarter -- his longest gain of the campaign. Hopkins has yet to top 65 receiving yards, and with Tennessee's offense centered around the running game, it's difficult to foresee a significant increase in his production.

Davis brought in all three targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Bills' 48-20 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.

Davis saw fellow wideout Stefon Diggs steal the spotlight with a 6-120-3 line on the day, but it was actually the former that scored the first six of Buffalo's 48 points on an 18-yard touchdown grab to cap off the first drive of the afternoon. Davis added another pair of catches and now has found the end zone in three consecutive contests heading into a Week 5 game against the Jaguars in London.

Olave brought in one of six targets for four yards in the Saints' 26-9 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

The speedy wideout was held in check in unprecedented fashion, with both his reception and receiving yardage totals qualifying as career lows. Olave's final line could have looked much different had he been able to come up with a couple of deep shots, but it ultimately was a forgettable day for the second-year wideout and the Saints offense as a whole. His first opportunity to bounce back comes in a Week 5 road matchup against the Patriots, but if Derek Carr's shoulder injury continues to limit his deep passing, Olave's fantasy value will inevitably take a hit to some degree.

Pierce secured one of two targets for 38 yards during Sunday's 29-23 overtime loss to the Rams.

The only reception for the second-year wideout was a big one, as it came early in the fourth quarter during the Colts' second touchdown drive of the game. Pierce still looks to be the tertiary option out of the receiving corps behind Michael Pittman and rookie Josh Downs, and his next opportunity for a breakthrough performance will be against a Titans defense that just held the Bengals to 165 yards of offense through the air.