RADIO
Keenan Allen 2020 Outlook: Concerns About Volume
5 years agoLos Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is coming off a strong season, posting 102 receptions for 1,199 yards and six touchdowns, but he’ll be catching passes from a new quarterback in Tyrod Taylor in 2020. Allen was a target hog with Philip Rivers, eclipsing 130 targets for three consecutive seasons, including 149 last year. But with Taylor at quarterback, the Chargers project to be a low-volume, run-heavy offense, which is bad news for Allen’s volume. Taylor’s career-high in pass attempts is 436, which is significantly less than Rivers’ 591 attempts in 2019. While Allen should remain as target leader on the Chargers, it’s going to be difficult for him to approach 130 targets in 2020. Even if Taylor loses the job to Justin Herbert, it’s tough to rely on a rookie quarterback. Allen’s career-high in yards per reception is 13.7, so he’s not the type of receiver that “lifts the lid” off an opposing defense. Due to these concerns, it’ll be difficult for Allen to eclipse 1,100 yards this season. Currently being drafted as WR17, Allen is overvalued due to the change in quarterback and scheme. Allen has a low upside relative to his draft cost, looking more like a mid-level WR2 in 2020.
