Pro Football Focus revealed their annual list of the top-50 players heading into the upcoming season.
Among the crop were three members of the Chargers. However, there was one player on the team that didn’t make the cut who many believe should have.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen wasn’t included in the list, and a handful of fans weren’t too thrilled about it. But PFF recognized him as one of the 10 players who was close to making it.
Michael Thomas’ game became the target for a lot of questionable criticism recently, but all of the perceived negatives about his game might actually be more accurate in describing Keenan Allen. While Thomas is actually productive when targeted deep downfield, Allen’s PFF grade on 20-plus-air-yard passes over the past two seasons is just 76.5; he caught only 8 of 28 (28.6%) deep passes over that period, and his target rate is some way shy of the best receivers in the league (including Thomas) when running deep patterns. Just slants, digs and crossers made up 49.4% of his receiving yards in 2019, so any diversity-of-route-tree questions should be directed more at Allen than Thomas. There’s no doubt Allen is an excellent receiver, but there have never been more of those in the league. He just fell short of the list.
Allen just fell short of making the list because of his lack of production as a deep pass-catcher, as he caught only 8 of 28 (28.6%) deep passes over the past two seasons.
Even though he wasn’t recognized as one of the top 50 players in the NFL by PFF, that doesn’t mean he’s not one of the top wideouts in the league.
Since coming into the league in 2013, the former Cal product has made his mark as an elite route-runner, dusting off the most premiere cornerbacks week in and week out.
His hard work shows, as Allen has registered four 1,000-yard seasons as a pass catcher and earned three trips to the Pro Bowl.
Entering the final year of his contract, Allen is bound to have another great season with Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert distributing the wealth, both of whom thrive with underneath throws, which is where the 28-year old wide receiver flourishes.
