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Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen didn't get off to the start fantasy managers would have liked in 2024. Allen recorded just four catches for 29 yards in his first outing as a Bear, scoring just 6.90 PPR fantasy points. The Bears offense as a whole struggled, failing to get much going, with QB Caleb Williams passing for under 100 yards.
To make matters worse, Allen picked up a heel injury during training camp that subsequently has had him sidelined since Week 1. The issue was originally reported as a cleat problem, but later revealed to be a problem with his heel. Allen will need to shake this off to be ready to play in Week 4.
Is Keenan Allen playing in Week 4? What are the latest updates on his injury, playing status, and fantasy outlook? Let's go into it.
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Is Keenan Allen Playing in Week 4?
Allen is moving toward playing in the Bears' Week 4 contest against the Los Angeles Rams. Allen practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday, then upgraded to "Full Practice" designation on Friday. The Bears organization has stated that he is expected to play next game.
Keenan Allen is expected to be back in action for #LARvsCHI
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 27, 2024
This is good news for fantasy managers. Though there's always the possibility of a re-aggravation of the injury, the organizations optimism should be shared by anyone who has Allen on their fantasy rosters. That being said, managers will want to stay updated. Injury situations can change at any time.
UPDATE: Allen went into detail about his injury in an interview below.
Keenan Allen spoke to the media on Friday. The veteran wide receiver shared what's been like dealing with his heel injury.
“It’s just irritating. It’s kind of like a hamstring pull; you can’t really do anything about it. You’ve got to wait until it heals up.” pic.twitter.com/FCUPppS1nj
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 27, 2024
Keenan Allen Week 4 Fantasy Football Outlook
While Allen faces competition with fellow WRs Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore for targets, Allen was the most targeted player of any Bear in Week 1, with 11 targets. Allen seems to be the primary first-read on many Bears plays in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's offense, which makes sense. Allen is an elite route runner.
Keenan Allen would normally catch this 9/10 Times over. Perfect ball placement by Caleb Williams.
Despite a bad day for Caleb who was under pressure all day, he should’ve had a TD here.
— Irish Bears Network (@IrishBearsShow) September 9, 2024
Allen was close to having two touchdowns in the Bears first game, but an uncharacteristic drop by Allen and an overthrow by Williams cost Allen plenty of fantasy points Week 1 is basically a preseason game for most teams given that teams don't practice as much as they used to in the preseason and most don't play four preseason games.
Allen doesn't typically drop a lot of passes, so rather than being annoyed, fantasy managers should be optimistic about his role in the offense. Especially in PPR, fantasy managers should be optimistic. The 11 targets is nothing to scoff at, and Allen leading the team in targets wouldn't be a surprise in 2024.
Allen is the most crisp route runner and best at getting quick separation, and he could be a safety valve for Williams as well as an outlet for easy throws. That's extremely valuable for fantasy and real football as well. Williams could look to Allen early and often in plenty of games this season, and he could rack up PPR scam points as a result.
Allen should be started in most leagues as a WR2 or WR3/FLEX player. It's hard to bench a player with Allen's pedigree if he's getting anything in the neighborhood of 10+ targets per game. He may be limited due to his injury, but the Rams have a horrible pass defense, so he should be fine.
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