The San Diego Chargers had a very disappointing 2015 season. The Chargers finished last in their division with a final record of 4-12. The team was plagued with injuries, specially from their wide receiver position. The team also failed to get consistent production from their running backs. Let’s take a look at the San Diego Chargers 2015 fantasy football recap.
San Diego Chargers 2015 Fantasy Football Recap
Over the past few years Philip Rivers has been a consistent fantasy quarterback and has finished around the top ten fantasy quarterbacks over the past few seasons. In 2015, Rivers threw for 4,800 yards, 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He totaled 284 fantasy points and averaged 17 fantasy points per game last season. In the end, he finished as the 12th ranked fantasy quarterback. Rivers ended 2015 with solid numbers and was without his Keenan Allen for the final eight games of the season. With the return of his number one wide receiver and the addition of Travis Benjamin, Rivers should improve on his 2015 stats. He certainly needs to be considered a sleeper in the upcoming 2016 season. Rivers should be targeted in the later rounds of your draft and could end up being a steal in 2016 drafts.
Last season, the San Diego Chargers drafted running back Melvin Gordon out of the Wisconsin in the first round of the 2015 draft. Gordon was drafted to be their number one running back but he failed to live up to the hype and did not produce the numbers people expected him to. Gordon finished with 830 total yards and didn’t have a single touchdown. He averaged only 4.5 fantasy points per game and also had trouble holding on to the football last season. Most running backs make their jump in production in their second year in the NFL. Hopefully Gordon can improve on his abysmal rookie season and be the running back that everyone expected him to be.
Because of his abysmal rookie season, Gordon will probably fall in drafts next season and could end up being a steal in the middle rounds of next year’s drafts. One of the smallest running backs in the NFL is Danny Woodhead but every season he seems to surprise people and continues to be productive especially when it comes to catching the football. Woodhead was San Diego’s leading receiver last season. He had 755 receiving yards and finished the season with 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns. Woodhead scored 163 fantasy points and averaged ten points per game last year. Woodhead finished as the 11th ranked running back in fantasy last season. His average is skewed because of his 30 points game in week 15. He is a solid flex option for your team next season. This could especially be true in points per reception leagues he is a solid running back two. Woodhead should be drafted in the later rounds of your draft next season.
Chargers leading wide receiver Keenan Allen was having a productive season before getting injured in week eight which ended his 2015 season. Before his injury, Allen had 725 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 12 fantasy points per game with a total of 96 points in eight games. Allen is a legitimate WR2 and should be targeted in the late third to early fourth round of next year’s drafts. The Chargers’ leading receiver was Stevie Johnson who was signed in the 2015 off season. Johnson had 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Johnson was very inconsistent in his production and is not worth much more than a late round flyer in next year’s drafts. The wide receiver that should take on the Chargers number two role next season is former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin. Benjamin is worth a middle too late round draft pick in next year’s draft.
Antonio Gates has been one of the NFL’S best all-time tight ends. Last season, Gates missed four games due to a suspension but was very productive once he returned. Gates had 630 yards and five touchdowns last season he averaged seven points per game and finished as the 11th ranked tight end in fantasy last year. With the departure of the Ladarius Green to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gates will most likely be productive next season and is worth a middle round pick.
With the Chargers coming off one of their worst seasons in recent history, hopefully they can turn things around and make a run at the division title. If the Chargers can get their running game going, and their skilled position players can stay healthy the Chargers should have one of the more electrifying offenses in the league next season. Which means that there players will be putting up solid fantasy points for your teams.
