Wide Receiver · Los Angeles Chargers
Quentin Johnston — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Steady year-over-year improvement in touchdown production, going from 2 (rookie year) to 8 in both 2024 and 2025, showing Johnston’s carved out a real role in the red zone/scoring department.
- · Career-high 14.4 yards per catch in 2025 highlights growing big-play explosiveness, complementing several standout games (5/79/2, 8/98/1, and 4/104/1).
- · Closed 2024 on a major hot streak, including a dominant 13-catch, 186-yard, 14-target Week 18 finale, showing his ceiling when featured heavily in the offense.
- · Consistent WR2 snap share in the 62-65% range across two seasons gives him a stable role and opportunity floor to build on.
- · Priced as a mid-tier WR4 despite finishing 34th (172.40 PPR fantasy points) at the position in 2025, offering value relative to his usage and upside if he takes another step forward.
Question marks
- · Catch rate has remained below 61% in every season (56.7%, 60.4%, and 60.7%), limiting his overall ceiling.
- · Boom-or-bust profile is a real risk — multiple empty/no-catch games each season (two no-catch games plus two other duds in 2025) can sink lineups on any given week.
- · Target competition looms larger in 2026 with the Chargers likely to feed their tight ends more and Tre' Harris in line for a bigger role, potentially capping Johnston's target share.
Shawn's conclusion
Johnston is another player who brings big-play and scoring upside to the fantasy teams, but he’s missed five games across the past two years. His steady overall fantasy feel puts him more in the WR4 category for some fantasy drafters, with his peaks and valleys inviting some mistakes in lineup decisions. Adding back his missed time, his profile paints a stronger WR3 floor. Johnston will outperform his ADP with modest improvements in the Chargers’ pass blocking and him suiting up for 17 weeks.
More on Johnston
Johnston's rookie season was a disappointment relative to his draft billing. He caught just 38 of 67 targets (56.7%) for 440 yards and two touchdowns, finishing 74th in PPR fantasy scoring with 94.00 points despite receiving WR2 snaps in 64.6% of the Chargers' plays. He reached double-digit fantasy points in five games but never consistently delivered on his early-round draft capital.
Year two showed meaningful growth, but it came in an uneven fashion. Johnston played in 15 games with a WR2 snap share of 62.6%, catching 55 of 91 targets (60.4%) for 711 yards and eight touchdowns. He had his moments earlier in the season (a 5/51/2 performance and a 4/118/1 outing stood out) while logging six or fewer targets in nine of his first 10 starts, limiting his week-to-week fantasy ceiling.
An ankle injury sidelined him for two midseason games. He closed the year on a strong note, seeing 31 combined targets from Weeks 14 through 17 before a dominant Week 18 finale (13 catches for 186 yards on 14 targets). His late-season surge offered a glimpse of what Johnston can be when featured consistently.
Johnston had almost the identical season in 2025 (51/735/8 on 84 targets) while playing in one fewer game (14). His yards per catch (14.4) was a career high. He jumped out of the gate with four playable games (5/79/2, 3/71/1, 6/89, and 8/98/1), while offering starting fantasy stats in five other matchups (2/30/1, 4/53/1, 3/23/1, 4/104/1, and 5/98). On the downside, Johnston posted two no-catch games, along with two other empty days (2/8 and 3/20).
The Chargers rested him in Week 18. His two missed games came via hamstring and groin issues while also battling minor shoulder and shin injuries during the year. Johnston was on the field for 63.9% of Los Angeles' plays as their WR2.
Johnston brings proven explosiveness, and he continues to improve. A longer passing window should be a win for his fantasy value this year. I prefer to roster him as an upside WR4 while also understanding he is already a value in drafts. Let’s go with 65 catches for 850 yards and repeated success in scoring.
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