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The Los Angeles Chargers selected wide receiver Quentin Johnston with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnston was the second wideout off the board after an impressive final season at TCU.
Johnston started off his college career slowly, totaling just 55 catches for 1,121 receiving yards combined in his first two years. But the 6-foot-4 wideout boosted his draft stock by breaking out last year in his junior season. He caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns in 2022.
Will Johnston finish as the top fantasy rookie wide receiver this year? What is his fantasy outlook in 2023? Let's dive in.
Quentin Johnston Fantasy Football Outlook
Johnston arguably landed in the best offense among all rookie wide receivers. The Chargers' wideout is tied to Justin Herbert and a Los Angeles offense that averaged the third most passing yards per game last season (268.7). They also ranked second in the NFL in pass play percentage (65.1%).
Herbert threw a career-high 699 times last year, and if that continues into 2023, Johnston should see more than enough opportunities on offense. The rookie has also already come out and said that he won the starting job in Los Angeles, meaning he likely beat out Joshua Palmer for the WR3 role.
Johnston will start alongside Mike Williams and Keenan Allen in three wide receiver sets. Both Williams and Allen missed a combined 11 games last year and if they were to miss any games in 2023, the rookie would easily become a fantasy WR2. The young wideout has a ton of upside in a high-powered offense and could find himself as a weekly flex option with WR3 upside right away.
Will Quentin Johnston Finish As The Top Fantasy Rookie Wide Receiver In 2023?
Johnston has a path to be the top fantasy rookie wide receiver in 2023. He'll be a starter on an offense that loves to throw the ball. Assuming Herbert throws around 675-700 times again this season, there's a chance the rookie could see more than 125 targets in his first season.
That would surely help Johnston finish as the top rookie wide receiver. The Chargers' wideout is currently going behind Seattle Seahawks rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Minnesota Vikings rookie Jordan Addison in fantasy drafts. Baltimore Ravens Zay Flowers is going one round later than Johnston.
Johnston can easily finish above both Addison and Smith-Njigba based on his usage in the Los Angeles offense. The Chargers should be throwing the ball more than any team in the NFL and that alone gives the former TCU star more upside than any other rookie wide receiver this season. He has a great chance to finish as the top fantasy rookie wide receiver in 2023.
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