Instant Analysis: Chargers Push Benjamin Button

Jeff Haverlack Posted On March 10, 2016

It didn’t take long for the Chargers to strike and they did so in fine fashion, nabbing the speedy receiver Travis Benjamin with a four-year $24 million deal.

With Keenan Allen still the team’s primary target, Benjamin should easily slide into no less than the WR3 role along side veteran Stevie Johnson to offer a speed and field-stretching option that quarterback Philip Rivers has been missing for some time. For Benjamin, he finally gets a gig with a proven quarterback at the helm to see if he can build upon last year’s success.

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Travis Benjamin

Benjamin enjoyed his best year as a pro in 2015, securing 68 of 124 targets for 966 yards and five touchdowns. To be sure, these are not stellar statistics but one must acknowledge that quarterback play hasn’t been a strength of the Browns for a long while, certainly not during Benjamin’s career.

Benjamin’s value will be hard to peg until we see how Rivers and the Chargers will utilize him, but you can expect to see him in his typical Swiss army knife role, primarily cutting across the field into space and stretching the defense vertically, two things he’s down well over the past two years. As an additional bonus, special teams format players take note, look for Benjamin to continue his dynamic presence in the return game, specifically on punts.

At only 26 years old, Benjamin is in the prime of his career and has a bonafide signal caller to deliver the goods. I’m not ready to call him a 1,000 yard receiver as he’ll likely operate much of his time out of the slot, but it’s not out of the question depending on usage. Either way, he gets an upgrade due to potentiality.

Keenan Allen/Stevie Johnson

Both Allen and Johnson suffered through injury-plagued campaigns in 2015 but will return healthy in 2016. With the fourth most passing yards in 2015, the Chargers are obviously determined to have a multi-ranged passing attack with an increased lateral dynamic as well. Allen and Johnson could see a drop in total targets but the possibility for an increase in quality receptions is just as likely the outcome. In either scenario, the passing attack has been bolstered and the true winner here is Philip Rivers.

Philip Rivers

The Chargers finished next to last in rushing in 2015 and the belief has to be that an increase in passing weapons will have a corresponding positive effect on the running game, and any success in the run game will further open the passing attack. For Rivers, it’s a win-win. If sophomore running back Melvin Gordon can get on track, Rivers should see not only increased yardage through the air, but greater efficiency and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Already second in passing yards in 2015, how much better could River’s actually get? It remains to be seen but my money is on 35 touchdowns and twelve interceptions, improvement in both categories.

Running Game

The aforementioned Melvin Gordon failed to impress in even the most modest way as a rookie. Versatile veteran Danny Woodhead rushed for 336 yards and three touchdowns but did most of his damage through the air with 80 receptions, 755 yards and six touchdowns. Expect Woodhead’s passing production to drop significantly with the addition of Benjamin and a return to a more established and traditional running game. Gordon is an upside candidate and Woodhead will continue to be an under-owned utility player that continues to have immense upside as a flex player.

Donald Brown has been released so look for the the Gordon-Woodhead tandem to carry the load once again.

Cleveland

Somehow the Browns allowed Benjamin to escape. That said, he may have been too fast for them to catch in that you can bet he was looking for a new uniform in 2016 after suffering through what had to have been a miserable four year stint. Cleveland ranked 21st in passing yard in 2015 and the return of Josh Gordon should provide a much-needed shot in the arm but losing Benjamin is nearly unforgivable when they badly need a franchise quarterback. Picking second overall in the NFL Draft, it’s safe to write in a new face of the franchise but unless they can score a proven asset in the form of another productive receiver, it’s hard to project things improving much in the near term.

Keep your eyes on the horizon Cleveland fans.

Follow me on Twitter: @DLF_Jeff
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Jeff Haverlack

Co-Founder at Dynasty League Football

Appreciative husband and proud father who poorly attempts to balance family life with his passion for creating the largest, most helpful and most impactful fantasy community on the planet! DLF was created for the community and we're committed to each member within it! Hope anyone playing this great game will call DLF home in some way!

You can find Jeff on Twitter at @dlf_jeff

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