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The Los Angeles Chargers just cannot keep their players on the field this year. This is nothing new. The Chargers have been having trouble keeping their players on the field for many years now.
The injury bug has bitten the Chargers so badly that the team should invest in citronella bands. The worst has been at wide receiver, where Justin Herbert’s top two targets are banged-up as Mike Williams’ ankle and Keenan Allen’s hamstring has kept both premium pass catchers on the sidelines and will likely keep them off the field this weekend too.
No. 3 and No. 4 receivers Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter have stepped in for Williams and Allen and have seen their time and targets skyrocket. The eight receptions and 13 targets Carter has racked up in his most recent two-game period are his best on the season. Should you think about picking him up on your league’s waiver wire this week if you need a WR? Here is my take!
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Should I Pick Up DeAndre Carter In Fantasy Football?
I would not waste my waiver pick. There have to be better options available in your league. Carter is a solid slot receiver who can play the role of the slippery pipsqueak who slides open in secondaries and catches three-to-five passes for 30-60 yards per game, but he has shown no propensity to do more than that, even with Williams and Allen injured and not taking away all his targets.
Carter has not scored a touchdown since the opening game of the season and was only able to muster 90 yards on the 13 targets he has been gifted over Los Angeles’ past two contests. Palmer, running back Austin Ekeler, and tight end Gerald Everett are the ones Herbert is relying on more (22, 21, and 17 targets, respectively, in the same two games), so Carter is still the fourth-best option in the Chargers passing attack despite Williams and Allen not being around.
Even worse, the Chargers play Sunday night at San Francisco, the eighth-ranked pass defense in the NFL that is only allowing 199 passing yards per game. The matchup is another negative going against Carter heading into this week.
If all you are looking for is a healthy receiver who can catch five passes for 50 yards this week, then be my guest and claim Carter on your waiver wire. But there are more plausible options on most waiver wires at the moment and you would be wise to scour your league's free agent list before you jump on Carter this week.
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