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Two of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league will take to the skies this week as Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers visit Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills.
L.A. had a get-right game against the Jets and Week 11 and used it to snap a three-game losing streak. Herbert was nearly flawless and he finished with 366 yards and three touchdowns. Of course, throwing to Keenan Allen often is always a good idea, and Herbert took advantage of the Jets’ meager secondary by targeting Allen 19 times. The veteran from Cal rewarded his QB’s trust with 16 receptions for 145 yards and a score. Wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Hunter Henry also found the end zone. Kalen Ballage was the Chargers’ lead running back once again. He racked up 71 yards on 23 touches, including seven receptions.
The Bills (7-3) went on bye in Week 11. The last time we saw the AFC East leaders, they were falling victim to the “Hail Murray” pass in a heart-breaking 32-30 defeat to the Cardinals. The Bills completely abandoned the run, choosing to throw on 50 of their 68 snaps. Although Josh Allen was far from perfect, his three touchdowns — two as a quarterback, one as a receiver — 284 passing yards and 38 rushing yards were probably good enough for his fantasy owners. Stefon Diggs held on to each of his 10 targets, registering 93 yards and a diving touchdown. Cole Beasley caught 11 of his 13 looks for 109 yards and a score.
TV Info
Date: Sunday, Nov. 26
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Broadcast map
Notable Statistical rankings (Football Outsiders)
Chargers: #24 Overall — #10 offense, #20 defense, #32 special teams
Bills: #12 Overall — #12 offense, #17 defense, #10 special teams
DraftKings Sportsbook odds
Chargers: +5.5, +200
Bills: -5.5, -235
Total: 53
Fantasy football start/sit advice
Chargers
Kalen Ballage, RB, $5,800
The Chargers have committed to Ballage as their top ball-carrier and he has returned fantasy totals of 16.4, 15.2 and 14.1 in his last three games. Assuming that Austin Ekeler is inactive for this game and that Ballage is able to play through his calf and ankle pains, he should find some holes in a Bills defense that permitted more than 100 rushing yards to other “big backs” such as Damien Harris and Kenyan Drake. Ballage has seen 12 targets in his last two games, raising his fantasy floor.
Hunter Henry, TE, $4,800
Henry has been consistent of late, a rarity at the tight end position. He has caught four passes in each of his last four games, finishing with 30-50 yards in each and scoring in his last two. Even as the fourth-highest-priced tight end on the main slate, Henry is worth using in all formats versus a Bills defense that has given up the second-most fantasy points per game to TEs.
Bills
Cole Beasley, WR, $5,500
John Brown is out for Week 12 due to an ankle injury. Here are Beasley’s stat lines in the two games Brown missed earlier this season: 6-53-0 and 11-112-0. And then Beasley took advantage yet again with that 100-yard game versus the Cardinals. In a favorable matchup against Chargers slot corner Tevaughn Campbell, Beasley should be considered a high-floor WR3 in PPR formats.
Stefon Diggs, WR, $7,600
Despite advocating for Beasley, this may not be the week to use Diggs on DraftKings. He has been a monster of late and has definitely earned his season-high $7,600 price tag. But the Chargers have kept all wideouts to fewer than five catches and 90 yards in each of their last five games. You are obviously starting him in season-long leagues, but this doesn’t look like the week to pay that premium for Diggs.