Keenan Allen, Eddie Royal's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 8

Nearly an entire season of futility finally ended for Keenan Allen on Thursday Night Football with a touchdown in the first half. Unfortunately, most fantasy owners likely had already given up on putting him in their starting lineup.

Along with Allen, Eddie Royal continued his up-and-down season with another underwhelming night. The two receivers faced a tough test against the Denver Broncos, but Philip Rivers finally locked up with Allen in the red zone.

Player	Keenan Allen	Eddie Royal
Rec.	9	3
Targets	13	3
Rec. Yards	73	29
Rec. TDs	1	0
Fantasy Points	13.3	2.9

Last season, Allen was a breakout star who carried several teams to the fantasy playoffs as a high-end WR2. Through the first seven weeks of his sophomore season, he had yet to look the part of even a flex option.

Rather than being a sign of what's to come, it might have simply been the matchup for Allen. Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego notes how well the wideout has played against Denver:

On the other hand, Royal continues to cool off after two consecutive multi-touchdown games against the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars. During the four-game stretch since, Royal has just one touchdown and has failed to eclipse 50 yards in a game.

In an offense that continues to spread the ball around, nothing is certain for either receiver moving forward. But with the emergence of Allen finally, another solid performance might make him a viable option to start in a flex spot.

Seth Klein of FantasyPros.com pointed out that fact prior to the TNF matchup:

Allen's value might finally be on the rise, and the upcoming games present an opportunity for him to shine. Playing the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams in the coming weeks, it's still difficult to predict which receiver will put up huge numbers.

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