Among the rookie wide receivers last year, Ladd McConkey came out of the scene as a top option late for redraft in PPR leagues. The 23-year-old slot receiver is the top target in Los Angeles for Justin Herbert and the Jim Harbaugh-coached Chargers team that is looking to improve in year two.
The former second-round pick had the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game with his splash blowout against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card. While McConkey did start off slow, Ladd might still be underrated heading into 2025 with his top 13 finish in PPR.
Ladd McConkey 2024 Stats and Fantasy Production
The former Georgia Bulldog finished his rookie year with 82 catches, seven touchdowns, and 1,149 yards through the air and was a PPR monster. McConkey, before their Week 5 bye, had just two games with double-digit fantasy points.
However, he had five games with double digits before missing Week 14. McConkey finished the year strong from Week 16 on, with four straight double-digit fantasy weeks. That included three top 10 finishes with 20-plus point fantasy performances for redraft PPR.
Fantasy Pros has him ranked outside of the top 10 for receivers, but you could make the case that Ladd McConkey should be in there when healthy. That was the main concern, throughout college and in the pros so far, as he has missed time and has not been able to finish some games due to size concerns.
Ladd McConkey 2025 Fantasy Outlook
Despite being a slot receiver, Herbert was able to find Ladd downfield multiple times for big-play touchdowns, raising his fantasy upside. Even though they re-signed Mike Williams and drafted Tre Harris, the Chargers should have McConkey as the go-to target.
Still, it is concerning that LA revamped their run game with free agent Najee Harris and first-round draft pick Omarion Hampton for their passing volume. However, there will be times Ladd will have single coverage matchups, making his opportunities for yards and touchdowns potentially higher despite fewer receptions in his second season.
I would potentially take McConkey over players like AJ Brown, as we saw Philly’s passing volume drop in 2024. Despite the Chargers improving their run game, I think Ladd in PPR still has a good enough floor/ceiling to justify taking him at the tail end of round one or early round two in redraft leagues.
