The Los Angeles Chargers‘ overhaul of the offensive roster has seen a multitude of productive pass catchers abruptly removed from the offense this offseason. The biggest addition the franchise made to address this need on the roster came in the selection of Georgia WR Ladd McConkey in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Does McConkey’s ideal landing spot mean he is going to be a fantasy football difference-maker immediately in this Chargers’ offense this season?
Should You Select Ladd McConkey at His Current ADP?
PPR Industry Consensus ADP: 96th Overall (WR42)
- Prime Opportunity in a Revamped Offense: The Chargers’ decision to overhaul their offense by parting ways with key pass catchers like Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett has left a massive void in their receiving corps. This has opened the door for McConkey, who could quickly emerge as a focal point in this offense.
- Elite Route Running and Separation Ability: McConkey is a versatile and explosive playmaker known for his speed (4.39) and ability to create separation with his advanced route-running skills. His diverse release package, tempo variation, and elite footwork make him a standout candidate to lead the team in targets as a rookie.
- High Volume Potential: With 320 targets up for grabs from last season, McConkey is well-positioned to command a significant share of those opportunities. Given his ability to play both inside and outside, combined with his RAC skills and top-tier acceleration, McConkey is primed for a big fantasy impact in 2024.
- Perfect Fit with Justin Herbert: McConkey’s skill set aligns perfectly with Justin Herbert’s ability to push the ball down the field and exploit mismatches. Herbert’s presence under center enhances McConkey’s chances of producing significant fantasy numbers right out of the gate.
- Comparison to Other WRs at ADP: McConkey’s current ADP of WR42 at No. 96 overall puts him just behind Xavier Worthy, Jordan Addison, and DeAndre Hopkins. Given the target competition and quarterback situations those players face, McConkey’s situation in Los Angeles appears much more favorable. He has the best opportunity to secure a substantial target share and is paired with the best quarterback of the group.
- Final Verdict: McConkey represents excellent value at the end of the eighth round, offering upside that could significantly outpace his current ADP. If he stays healthy, McConkey has the potential to be an immediate fantasy difference-maker in 2024, making him a savvy pick in this range.
PFN Consensus PPR Fantasy Ranking for Ladd McConkey
Note that these rankings are the PFN Consensus Rankings and may not fully match my analysis. Since McConkey is ranked outside the top 75 in the PFN Consensus Rankings, we’ve listed the consensus WR rankings instead.
29) Rashee Rice, WR | Kansas City Chiefs
30) Christian Kirk, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
31) Keenan Allen, WR | Chicago Bears
32) Tank Dell, WR | Houston Texans
33) George Pickens, WR | Pittsburgh Steelers
34) Ladd McConkey, WR | Los Angeles Chargers
35) Jayden Reed, WR | Green Bay Packers
36) Chris Godwin, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
37) Diontae Johnson, WR | Carolina Panthers
38) Brian Thomas Jr., WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
39) Hollywood Brown, WR | Kansas City Chiefs
Ladd McConkey’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
One should likely not make a career out of questioning new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh’s methods of running a football team.
He has an impressive resume of success that has followed him both at the collegiate and professional levels. Yet, one could not help but get a bit concerned for quarterback Justin Herbert when the organization decided to part ways with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett this offseason.
For those of you keeping track out there, that is 229 receptions and 2,339 receiving yards worth of production from the season prior that has been completely removed from the roster. These moves meant the pass-catching collection of talent on the Los Angeles roster heading into the 2024 NFL Draft consisted of Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer, and Hayden Hurst.
No offense to any of the players just mentioned, but that doesn’t exactly sound like an imposing enough group to strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses, even with Herbert under center.
Yet, help has arrived in the form of McConkey. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his game from his collegiate days with the Bulldogs, McConkey is a versatile, lightning-quick, explosive playmaker who threatens defenses vertically with his 4.39 speed or torture ill-equipped defenders who can’t compete with his elite short-area burst as an underneath RAC threat or contributor as a ball carrier with designed rushing touches.
The raw athleticism alone is enough to get you excited about his potential in the NFL. However, where McConkey really stands out as a candidate to lead this team in targets as a rookie is his diverse release package and elite ability to create separation as a nuanced route runner.
McConkey’s post-graduate level route-running prowess shows up all over the film with great tempo variation, textbook stem IQ to attack defenders’ leverage, and balletic-type controlled footwork at the breakpoint — which helps him snap down and instantly accelerate out of his breaks to force social-distancing-type separation between him and his defender.
Some may be willing to argue, but I strongly believe McConkey is already the best route runner on this roster. Combine that with his formation versatility — which is also arguably the best on the team– and his plus-level run-after-catch ability with top-tier acceleration, surprising contact balance, and deceptive top speed… and you have the recipe for an instant fantasy success in 2024.
After the departure of the four players just mentioned, there are 320 targets up for grabs from last season. Do we really think McConkey isn’t going to see a hefty amount of those looks from one of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2024?
The table is set for McConkey to make a massive fantasy impact early in his NFL career, and he’s paired with an elite quarterback under center to help him produce in Year 1. Sometimes, fantasy dreams really do come true.
Is McConkey a Good Value in Fantasy Drafts?
McConkey’s current ADP sits at No. 96 overall as the WR42 off the board just behind Xavier Worthy, Jordan Addison, and DeAndre Hopkins. Frankly, I’d rather have McConkey than all three of those players he is currently being taken behind. My reasoning is McConkey is simply in a better situation than all three of those names.
Worthy will be competing with Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice for targets and Hopkins is an aging player competing with Calvin Ridley for looks from a mostly unknown commodity under center in Will Levis.
Addison is potentially a second, or even third, option behind Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, who also projects to work with a rookie quarterback in J.J. McCarthy.
McConkey has the best target-share opportunity and best quarterback situation of the bunch. Nabbing him at the end of the eighth round feels like stealing, if he can manage to stay healthy in 2024.