Keenan Allen's fantasy value takes a hit following shocking trade

Just when it looked like the Los Angeles Chargers were going to stick with Keenan Allen for at least one more season, the team threw a curveball on Thursday night. Instead, Allen has been dealt to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

The Chargers released Mike Williams at the start of the 2024 league year but decided to hang onto both Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, two players many expected the team to part ways with. It looked like Allen, on the last year of his deal, would be held over as well.

It's being reported that Allen refused a pay cut and that led to the team making this move.

Allen now heads to the Windy City after 11 seasons with the Bolts. What does this do for his fantasy football value? Well, I don't like it.

Allen will go from catching passes from Justin Herbert in Los Angeles to catching passes from a yet-to-be-determined QB in windy and cold Chicago. The Bears have the No.1 overall pick in the draft and are widely expected to use it on USC QB Caleb Williams, but Justin Fields is currently still on the roster.

Regardless of who the QB ends up being, it's nowhere near as good of a situation as he was in. Though D.J. Moore had a strong season last year, the Bears are not a place for good wide receiver play, historically. And with Moore on the roster, there will be another big mouth to feed.

In L.A., Allen was the clear No.1 wide receiver during his tenure there and still saw way more targets than the No. 2 guy, Mike Williams. That is not going to be the case with the Bears, where he will be added to a growing mix.

You have to like the move as a Bears fan from a football standpoint. The Bears are loading up. But from a fantasy perspective, it's not ideal. And if I am a dynasty league manager who has Allen on my roster, I hate this move.