The Chargers made a point of emphasis to improve their offensive weapons this offseason, and it has paid off so far. Through four games, the offense has been more explosive in 2025 with a deeper group of playmakers.
That’s directly translated to less action for wideout Ladd McConkey after his phenomenal 2024 rookie campaign. The former Georgia product garnered 112 targets and 1,149 yards in 16 regular-season games as a rookie.
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Earlier in the year, I told you not to worry about McConkey in fantasy football and to continue to start him. We’re now four games into the season, and things haven’t gotten any better for the second-year wideout. His usage rates are down across the board, and that can mainly be attributed to the growth of those around him.
Specifically, Quentin Johnston has shown massive strides in his third season. Everyone was waiting for Johnston to fall off after his hot start to the year, but he has yet to do so. At this point, he’s been the Chargers’ best weapon in 2025, not McConkey.
Keenan Allen was added back this offseason, and he’s seen 35 targets in the first four weeks. The veteran has been productive too, as he has 231 receiving yards and three touchdowns. You can even add rookie Omarion Hampton into the mix, who is a far more dangerous weapon out of the backfield than any of the Chargers’ running backs last season.
The talented first-rounder has totaled 12 targets in the last two weeks after a slow start to the season. So what should fantasy football managers do with McConkey? Well, it largely depends on the wideouts you have on your roster, but it’s safe to bench him until further notice.
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You must have a deep wideout room with options that are upgrades over McConkey. In deeper leagues, that isn’t likely, and you probably will just have to stick it out with him. Things should get better, and he’ll catch more than 16.7% of his targets like he did in Week 4. McConkey has still totaled 27 targets in four games, and he’s yet to reach the end zone, which should tell you that he’s due.
Defenses have made it a point of emphasis to slow down McConkey in 2025, but as Johnston continues to make plays on the perimeter, it will eventually open things back up over the middle of the field. For now, sit McConkey on the bench for a few weeks until he puts together a few solid performances. If you don’t have him on your roster, he could be an attractive buy-low option if you need a wide receiver.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: What should fantasy managers do with Chargers WR Ladd McConkey?