We are a little over three months away from the Chargers kicking off the 2019 NFL regular season at home against the Colts.
For those of us who are hoping to get an edge in fantasy football leagues, we are taking a look at a three players that are currently undervalued and have sleeper potential this year.
RB Justin Jackson
Jackson was selected in the seventh-round of the 2018 NFL draft after a monster career at Northwestern that featured 42 touchdowns. Listed as No. 3 on the depth chart, Jackson didn’t make his presence known until Week 10 when he was bumped up after Melvin Gordon sustained a knee injury a week prior that kept him out.
In that game against the Steelers, Jackson had eight carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later against the Chiefs, he received the highest amount of touches with 16 and rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown. He was an asset through the air too, catching 15 passes for 135 yards.
He is a player that’s proven to excel when he’s on the field. Jackson plays in one of the most running back-fantasy point friendly offenses in the NFL and if either Gordon or Austin Ekeler were to miss time, Jackson should be a weekly starter in points per reception (PPR) leagues.
WR Travis Benjamin
The Chargers no longer have Tyrell Williams on the roster after they elected to not bring him back. His departure means that it’s an open competition for the No. 3 role. You could assume that tight end Hunter Henry has that since he’s a threat in the passing game, but the team values that spot quite a bit.
The frontrunner at the moment would have to be Benjamin. Instead of releasing him to clear up more cap space, Los Angeles extended his contract through 2020, showing that they believe he can return his original form after a down 2018 season.
The speedster has shown that he can make the most with 60-75 targets in his first two seasons with the Bolts. In 2016 and 2017, Benjamin combined for 81 receptions and eight touchdowns on 137 targets. Assuming that he wins the No. 3 job and he stays healthy, Benjamin could be set up for a good year.
K Mike Badgley
That’s right, a kicker is being mentioned among this list. Why? Because they have a big impact on the outcome of fantasy matchups and there’s been many times where it’s come down to a kicker to determine a championship.
After going through a kicking carousel to find the right one, Badgley emerged as the Chargers’ main guy midway through the 2018 season. Now, with a full 16-game slate ahead of him, he has the opportunity to be one of the better options in the league.
The former Miami product appeared in 10 games and made 15 of 16 field goals, including one from 59 yards, as well as 27 of 28 extra points. The Bolts have a high-powered offense, and Badgley should have plenty of chances to see the field.
We don’t recommend taking a kicker early on in your drafts, but he is a must in the late rounds.
