Jalen Guyton: Future Waiver Wire Pickup
Jalen Guyton was getting first-team reps before Mike Williams suffered a shoulder sprain. The 6-1 burner had a chance to get meaningful snaps outside opposite Williams, whilst Keenan Allen worked his magic from the slot. With Williams out for a bit, he has a chance to impress and solidify his spot as the WR3.
From Week 1 to Week 4, when Melvin Gordon was holding out, the Chargers had 3 or more receivers on the field nearly 70-percent of the time. The WR3 role on the Chargers roster is up for grabs between Guyton, Joe Reed, and KJ Hill. Out of the three, Guyton brings the most speed to the table, the one asset Los Angeles’ starting receivers lack.
Guyton is sitting on the waiver wire in most leagues, apart from the Yards Per Fantasy league where I jumped on him immediately. He’s a huge potential value, especially for the start of the season.
The Chargers first four games of the 2020 season are going to be blowouts in favor of Los Angeles or complete and absolute shootouts. They face the Bengals and Panthers in Week 1 and Week 3. They will also meet weak defenses like the Dolphins and Jets. With the tenth easiest schedule heading into next year, Taylor and Herbert should have fun slinging the ball.
Guyton could expose some defenses if they focus on Allen, Austin Ekeler, and Hunter Henry. On his pro day, he ran a sub-4.4 forty and if there’s no safety help, he could burn some third-string cornerbacks.
SEE YA!
Jalen Guyton makes multiple defenders miss for an impressive @dallascowboys TD. @_dreamjg #TBvsDAL pic.twitter.com/lVzsDYzK58
— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2019
He’s not just a deep threat, as he can turn a curl route into a 75-yard touchdown (see above). He knows how to make people miss, and sometimes manhandles defensive backs like Derrick Henry (see below)
https://twitter.com/F5_CUSARefs/status/1023705281270820864
Related | Austin Ekeler Is A Top-3 RB In Every Format
The Chargers have a versatile weapon that could live off screens, slants, drags, and go-routes all season long. He has enough speed to create separation underneath and can threaten to expose secondaries. He suits Tyrod’s tendencies to throw short, and Herberts cannon of an arm.
Los Angeles has needed a third receiver for years due to Allen playing primarily in the slot, and Guyton looks like the man for the job. Anthony Lynn talked about needing a guy to take the top off defenses and Guyton is at his best using his speed.
Williams’ unfortunate absence, which shouldn’t last into the regular season, provides Guyton a chance to show what he can do. The Chargers don’t need a possession receiver. They need speed and explosiveness.
A top-tier athlete that has a similar athletic profile to Guyton is DJ Moore. Both ran sub-seven-second three-cone drills, to pair with huge verticals and blazing speed. Moore averaged seven yards after the catch in 2018 and was targeted deep downfield in 2019. Whilst Guyton isn’t as polished as Moore, there’s a chance that he performs similarly on a rate basis.
2020 Projections
- 3.5 targets per game
- 56 targets for the season
- 60-percent catch rate from college where he was used similarly. The high-percentage dump-offs will balance out the deep shots.
- 33 receptions for the year
- 16 yards-per-reception, as Moore had in his rookie season
- 528 yards with two touchdowns, both from breaking away when defenses make a mistake
- Overall: 97.8 fantasy points (WR5 production)
For free, you could pick up a player that can you can slot into your last flex position in deep leagues. There will be weeks where has no receptions. And then there will be weeks where he has two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, like how he did for the Cowboys in a preseason game. He’s a big-play receiver, who can fill William’s role when he’s out, and start across from him when he’s healthy.
