Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Antonio Gates' Post-Week 11 Fantasy Reaction

The once-productive San Diego Chargers passing game has slowed down considerably in the last couple of weeks.    

After grabbing an early lead against the Oakland Raiders in Week 11, the Chargers struggled to move the ball consistently. Due to a mix of ineffectiveness and clock management, Philip Rivers and Co. put up some unspectacular numbers:

Player	Com/Att	Yds	Avg	TD/Int	Fan Pts
Player	Tar	Rec	Yds	TD	Fan Pts
Philip Rivers	22/34	193	5.7	1/0	11.62
Keenan Allen	13	8	63	0	6.3
Antonio Gates	3	3	32	0	3.2

It wasn't quite on the level of the Week 9 implosion against the Miami Dolphins, but it still didn't do much in the way of assisting fantasy owners. So, what exactly can we expect from this trio moving forward?

Rivers is still a low-end QB1 simply for the fact he's a very good real-life quarterback, but the return of Ryan Mathews somewhat stunts his fantasy value. Yahoo Sports' Brad Evans noted Mathews' effectiveness:

The Chargers like to run the ball, controlling time of possession and keeping their defense off the field. They did it to great success on the back of Mathews last year, and if he's healthy again, they'll likely continue to be a run-heavy team down the stretch.

But that doesn't mean Allen and Gates don't possess value.

Allen is a high-end WR3 with a major boost in PPR leagues. He continues to pace the Chargers in both targets and receptions, and it's not close. While it's becoming clear he won't often see the end zone, the volume makes him someone worth using.

Gates is almost the exact opposite. He doesn't get a ton of looks, but he's a red-zone monster who racks up touchdowns. He's a boom-or-bust TE1. There will be weeks like Sunday when he's mostly non-existent, but there will also be weeks like four of the previous five when he finds pay dirt.