Chargers @ Vikings Week 3 Game Preview

Los Angeles Chargers @ Minnesota Vikings

The most exciting game of the week from a fantasy perspective will feature the Chargers on the road in Minnesota. This game has the makings of a shootout, with the highest game total of the week (54 points), the most pass-happy offense in the league, and two defenses that haven’t slowed anyone down in their first two contests.

The Vikings are leading the league in situation-neutral pass rate, in part because of their struggles running the ball and partly because they have so many talented pass-catchers. Either way, it is great for fantasy managers.

While the passing game has been working overtime, the running game hasn’t been working at all. Alexander Mattison has gotten the workhorse role that was expected but has failed to do much with it, checking in at the RB27 in PPR scoring through two games. 

The Chargers' defense is something of a run funnel, so we may see a bit more success for Mattison on the ground this week, but after watching this defense gashed for big plays by the Dolphins and Titans, the Vikings must be excited to take deep shots to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Addison, in particular, is who I will have my eye on as we saw his route participation grow in the first two games. After making two long TD catches in the first two weeks, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the game where we see him step into a full-time role. If this game does end up as a shootout, he could poised for a huge week.

On the Chargers side, frustration is clearly building after the team fell to 0-2 with an overtime loss to the Titans last week. 

The offense has been working under OC Kellen Moore and ranks in the top 10 for both passing and rushing yards through two games. 

Unsurprisingly, Justin Herbert has leaned on Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the passing game, and we should expect that to continue, especially while Austin Ekeler is out.

Both Williams and Allen are consensus top 20 WR options this week per the Fantasy Life rankings and should be locked into your lineup for redraft leagues. 

For Underdog’s Battle Royale contests, I have been targeting Williams more this week since Keenan is coming off of the big performance in Week 2 and is drawing more interest as a result. 

Either player could be in for a big game against a relatively soft Vikings defense, and the answer could end up being both players if we get a high-scoring game indoors in Minneapolis. 

If Ekeler sits, Joshua Kelley will once again be worthy of a start in most formats as the primary ball carrier against a Minnesota defense that can be beaten on the ground.

Both teams desperately need a win to avoid falling to 0-3, so we should get a good game that hopefully ends with lots of points on the board. The Chargers are favored by 1 point on the road, so this game is close to a toss-up. 

I don’t have a good read on which team will come out on top, so I’m avoiding betting sides for this one, but here’s to hoping we got the offensive fireworks that this game looks set to deliver.