Quentin Johnston has spent three seasons proving my evaluation of him wrong in small increments. Everything about his profile says he shouldn’t be relevant. Instead, he has been a useful fantasy receiver two years running, and Los Angeles just cleared a path for it to continue. Fantasy managers should ask whether the historical case against him still applies.
Should I Draft Quentin Johnston in Fantasy Football?
It is quite ironic how I have somehow become something of a Quentin Johnston guy.
I faded him hard as a rookie, viewing him as an overhyped prospect out of TCU, a school that has never produced a quality NFL wide receiver. He then went out and posted a horrific rookie season, totaling just 431 yards.
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Naturally, I faded him again as a sophomore, especially in light of my research on the historical hit rates of receivers who fail to reach 525 yards as rookies. He wound up being useful, averaging 11.7 fantasy points per game. At his cheap cost, that was a positive return on investment.
Last season followed a similar pattern. Johnston averaged 12.2 PPG and looked like a genuinely strong pick early, posting 14.9 fantasy points or more in each of his first four games. Then the Chargers’ offensive line fell apart. He hit double digits just five times the rest of the way, including two goose eggs.
Now he enters his fourth season, and despite the historical data suggesting otherwise, Johnston may actually be a value. That data remains immensely predictive, but nothing is 100%. We have to stay open to changing our opinions when new evidence arrives, and two consecutive seasons of usable production is new evidence.
What those seasons suggest is legitimate WR2 upside. The opportunity is there as well, with Keenan Allen gone and Johnston projecting as the clear WR2 opposite Ladd McConkey.
The one real concern is Tre’ Harris cutting into that role. If the two begin splitting snaps, or even if Harris takes a third of them, that becomes a problem.
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The other thing Johnston has to fix is his target rate. He was targeted on just 18.2% of his routes run last season, which ranked 70th in the league. That number has to climb for him to be a viable weekly fantasy option. I think he can get there, but targets are earned and Johnston must earn them.
Johnston is my WR37 against a WR43 ADP. The potential splash play guy in a Mike McDaniel offense with Justin Herbert throwing him the football is someone I am willing to take a chance on at a reduced cost.
Katz’s WR Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
- Puka Nacua | LAR
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
- Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
- CeeDee Lamb | DAL
- Justin Jefferson | MIN
- Drake London | ATL
- Malik Nabers | NYG
- Nico Collins | HOU
- A.J. Brown | NE
- Chris Olave | NO
- George Pickens | DAL
- DeVonta Smith | PHI
- Zay Flowers | BAL
- Rashee Rice | KC
- Jaylen Waddle | DEN
- Tee Higgins | CIN
- Terry McLaurin | WAS
- Ladd McConkey | LAC
- Emeka Egbuka | TB
- Luther Burden III | CHI
- Tetairoa McMillan | CAR
- Garrett Wilson | NYJ
- Parker Washington | JAX
- Jameson Williams | DET
- Christian Watson | GB
- Rome Odunze | CHI
- Carnell Tate | TEN
- Davante Adams | LAR
- Mike Evans | SF
- Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
- DJ Moore | BUF
- Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX
- Chris Godwin Jr. | TB
- Stefon Diggs | WAS
- Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT
- Quentin Johnston | LAC
- Josh Downs | IND
- Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN
- Jayden Reed | GB
- DK Metcalf | PIT
- Jordan Addison | MIN
- Courtland Sutton | DEN
- Jakobi Meyers | JAX
- Makai Lemon | PHI
- Xavier Worthy | KC
- Michael Wilson | ARI
- KC Concepcion | CLE
- Romeo Doubs | NE
- Jalen Coker | CAR
