Analytics Expert Names Chargers Rookie As Team’s Top Wide Receiver

There is no unanswered question from the Los Angeles Chargers offseason bigger than, who will replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams . The team went down all (budget) aisles to find the answer to that question. They added D.J. Chark and used three draft picks to select wide receivers. They even brought on three undrafted free agents to the position to give themselves plenty of material to work with.

Because of substandard quarterback play, the question still stands after two weeks of preseason football. Who will start at wide receiver?

Will Brenden Rice Start for the Chargers?

In his latest article, Nathan Jahnke of PFF predicts that Chargers rookie 7th rounder, Brenden Rice will be one of the starting wideouts.

“ Quentin Johnston , Chark and Rice began a rotation on the outside, a rotation that carried on into the third quarter.” Jahnke writes, “In the first half, Rice played 20 snaps, Chark 18 and Johnston 13 out of a possible 34 snaps. This should be some kind of three-man rotation to start the season, preventing any of them from being fantasy-relevant this season. It is impressive that Rice, a seventh-round rookie, appears to be potentially beating a former first-round pick and a veteran receiver this early into the preseason while so many third and fourth-round wide receivers are buried on their depth charts.”

Harbaugh hasn’t been shy about giving his starters extended playing time in the first two preseason games. Especially the rookies. Presumptive starting right tackle and fifth overall pick in the 2024 Draft, Joe Alt has played 55 snaps (45.5) over two games. Rice has by far played the most snaps of any wide recevier, 65. Simi Fehoko has played the next most with 46.

Despite this sizable work load, Rice has yet to catch a pass and his five targets is only the fourth highest on the team.

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