The 49ers just pulled off an NFL trade deadline move with major fantasy football implications.
San Francisco is acquiring Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen via trade, sending Indianapolis a 2027 sixth-round pick in return. The move brings a much-needed addition to a Niners depth chart riddled with injuries. Following Tuesday’s move, can the newest 49ers pass catcher make a fantasy football impact?
Keenan Allen fantasy football outlook with 49ers
Allen’s 49ers tenure begins at the perfect time. This team badly needs an influx of talent at wide receiver. Former All-Pro Mike Evans is dealing with an Achilles injury, while Deebo Samuel (hamstring) and De’Zhuan Stribling (ankle) are banged up as well. Heading into Week 10, it’s unclear who quarterback Brock Purdy will be throwing the ball to going forward.
Granted, injuries haven’t slowed down this offense so far. San Francisco is gaining 376.8 yards per game, sixth-most in the NFL. Purdy is putting together a fantastic season under center, throwing for 1,960 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s supported by a strong ground game, led by superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. Fellow veteran George Kittle remains one of the league’s top tight ends.
With that being said, there’s room for several players to produce in this high-octane 49ers offense. Prior to re-aggravating his injury in Week 6 vs. Washington, Evans was putting together another fantastic campaign. If he’s held out once again on Sunday, Allen could get a hefty workload.
It helps that this weekend’s matchup comes against one of the NFL’s most feeble defensive units. The Cowboys are surrendering 372.7 yards per game to opponents, third-worst in the league. To boot, Dallas is allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. On paper, it’s difficult to imagine this Niners offense getting stopped very often.
Through eight games with the Colts this season, Allen has recorded 40 catches for 351 yards and a touchdown. Given the lackluster state of Indianapolis’ offense, those numbers aren’t too shabby. The 34-year-old has recorded nine or more fantasy points in five of those appearances as well. Allen isn’t likely to gain many yards after the catch, making him a more valuable asset in full PPR leagues.
There’s certainly some fantasy football risks for Allen, both this week and going forward. If head coach Kyle Shanahan had his way, the 49ers would run the ball on almost every play. When given the opportunity, San Francisco will keep it on the ground. Still, that’s not a realistic way to operate a modern NFL offense. When faced with key third downs, Allen should serve as a reliable safety blanket for Purdy.
Given the wide array of injuries at wide receiver, you could do far worse than Allen as a low end WR2/flex option this week. To be clear, the statuses of Evans and Samuel will need to be monitored on Sunday. If either is unable to suit up, San Francisco’s newest pickup deserves fantasy football consideration.
