Quentin Johnston entered last season looking like the breakout wide receiver fantasy managers had been waiting for. He scored twice in the season opener in São Paulo and cleared 85 yards or found the end zone in four of his five subsequent games. The third-year Los Angeles Chargers receiver was posting 15-plus PPR points and looked like the alpha in an offense that seemed to be moving in the right direction. Then the bottom fell out.
Johnston limped to the finish line, producing a near replica of his 2024 stat line. He finished last season with 51 catches for 735 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games, marking his second straight year with eight scoring grabs. His 120.2 fantasy points ranked 27th among wide receivers, yet his average draft position for 2026 sits at 42nd at the position, according to numberFire.
Consistency has been the issue. In 52.2 percent of his career games, Johnston has finished with single-digit PPR points. He has as many career games with fewer than two PPR points as he has with 16 or more — six apiece. That kind of volatility makes it difficult to trust him as a weekly starter, even when his ceiling produces weeks like his season opener against Kansas City, when he turned five receptions and 79 yards into two touchdowns and 19.9 fantasy points.
Johnston turns 25 in September, so the developmental window hasn’t slammed shut. But comparing him to other mid-round receivers highlights the opportunity cost. Michael Wilson offers a different profile. In Arizona, Wilson broke out with 78 receptions for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns on 126 targets, operating as Kyler Murray‘s primary boundary threat opposite Trey McBride. Wilson’s precise route-running and steady target share give him a safer weekly floor in PPR formats, though his late-season surge came while Marvin Harrison Jr. missed time.
Wilson’s situation has shifted with Jacoby Brissett taking over at quarterback after Murray’s departure. Johnston, meanwhile, remains Justin Herbert‘s preferred red-zone target, standing 6-foot-3 with open-field acceleration. His 14.4 yards per catch shows the splash-play ability, but his target count fluctuates dramatically from game to game.
Fantasy managers must decide whether they prefer Wilson’s consistent volume or Johnston’s touchdown upside. Wilson gives you a stable WR2 or WR3 without the extra adrenaline. Johnston offers the chance at multi-touchdown explosions but also weeks where he disappears entirely. The Chargers ranked 20th in scoring and ran pass plays 55 percent of the time last season, which hasn’t done much to stabilize Johnston’s floor.
Drafting Johnston means accepting the roller coaster. The talent is real, and the red-zone role is secure. But with the wide receiver position as deep as it’s ever been, investing in a player who fails to reach double-digit PPR points in more than half his career games remains a tough sell.
