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The San Diego Chargers were dealt a terrible blow when wide receiver Keenan Allen was put on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney earlier this week. Allen was the Chargers' best receiver, and his 792 yards ranked third in the NFL before he left early against Baltimore. Still, Philip Rivers will find a way to rack up the yards against a Chicago defense that has been torched all season.
Rivers leads the NFL with more than 2,700 yards, and he's averaged about 25 fantasy points per game over the last five weeks. He’s been forced to throw the ball an unfathomable amount of times due in large part to a non-existent running game and a putrid San Diego defense.
The Bears have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, which means Rivers should be on par for the course Monday night. He may not throw as many deep balls since Allen won't be in the lineup, but there should be no reason to expect anything fewer than 20 points from him.
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The Bears are one of the best when it comes to passing yards allowed, but they are one of the worst in passing touchdowns allowed. Chicago has allowed 16 passing touchdowns through just seven games, so look for Rivers to pick apart that abysmal Bears’ secondary.
Tight end Antonio Gates will also benefit from the Chargers' pass-heavy offense, assuming he can stay healthy throughout the game. With Ladarius Green in a walking boot, according to CBS Sports, Gates should thrive as the No. 1 target for San Diego. Gates has only played in three games this year but has averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game in standard scoring leagues.
Green had filled in as a great substitute while Gates was sidelined for the first four weeks of the season, and when he’s back to 100 percent, the Chargers will possess the best tight end combo in the NFL.
Chicago comes into this game as one of the NFL’s best when it comes to guarding the tight end, but Gates isn’t just any tight end. His massive frame makes him an especially dangerous target in the red zone, and with San Diego living and dying by the pass, Gates is sure to see a fair share of targets Monday night.
