5 Daily Fantasy Football Matchups to Exploit in Week 8
San Diego Chargers Passing Game
Similar to the first recommendation on Chris Johnson, this one doesn't come without its concerns. The Chargers are traveling across the country for a date against the Baltimore Ravens. The game starts at 1 pm. But again, it just seems too good to pass up.
The Chargers have this crazy, fun, exhilarating combination working in their favor this year: they're at the intersection of volume and efficiency, and baby, that street-corner is a poppin'.
Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Chargers have the third highest pass-to-run ratio in the NFL. This is partly because they're 2-5 and have been in negative game script most of the season, but they also can't run the ball to save their lives. With all of their offensive line injuries, they have no choice but to air it out. They've managed to do so admirably under the circumstances.
Despite teams often knowing the Chargers will have to pass, they still sit fifth in Adjusted Passing NEP per play. This shouldn't be a surprise for an offense led by Philip Rivers, but when teams know you're going to pass, they are usually better at stopping it. That has not been the case in San Diego.
As a result, the team's fantasy output has been stupidly dependable. Over the past four games, Rivers has not been held below 21.6 FanDuel points in any contest. He's averaging 2.5 passing touchdowns and 390.5 yards per game over that span. You want your cash-game quarterback? I've got your cash-game quarterback right there, friend.
If Antonio Gates goes, he's clearly the top option at receiver. However, he did not practice Wednesday, and he seems like he's questionable at best for Week 8.
Next, the attention obviously has to go to Keenan Allen. When you're seeing 26.75 percent of the targets on a high-volume, high-efficiency offense, good things will happen to you. Allen has seen at least 13 targets in 4 games this year, putting him at 84 total on the year. That's the third highest total in the league. Against the team ranked 18th in Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play, I'll happily take that, even with his now-inflated price tag.
Finally, this -- once again -- sets up perfectly for Danny Woodhead. He may be the one piece in the Chargers' offense who benefits from the trip across the country. If the team falls behind, you know who's getting mad targets. He has 26 targets over the past three weeks and 47 for the season. Considering the red-zone usage he gets, Woodhead makes for a great play, both on half- and full-point-per-reception sites.
