Ladd McConkey and the Chargers may have dodged a bullet last week. In their win over the Raiders, quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a fracture in his non-throwing hand. Fortunately for Los Angeles, it seems as if he will be suiting up against the Eagles on Monday Night Football. But a fracture in the hand is sure to change how he plays in some respects. Will this affect McConkey’s WR1 status going into this matchup?
Analysis
As the WR13 in PPR formats for the year, it’s been a quiet step forward for McConkey this season. He continues to demand high target shares, which creates a steady floor in receiving yards with the occasional touchdown. He might not be the flashiest, but he gets the job done.
Herbert’s injury arrived at the worst time to create panic. On the eve of fantasy playoffs, McConkey’s production has dipped in the past few weeks. Now his quarterback is going to gut out a fractured hand — not what you want to hear if you’re a McConkey owner.
But I’m here to tell you there is no reason to panic. A lot of the downtick in production has revolved around negative game script. Look at LA’s next three games against the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cowboys — all three of those scream “throw the ball!”
I’m also not concerned about Herbert’s injury affecting his ability to throw. If anything, it may take away one or two scramble attempts while encouraging him to dish out quick pass attempts. Those targets tend to go right to Ladd. I’m not changing my ranking of McConkey in any format for this week.
