A fourth-round pick out of Miami back in 2012, Travis Benjamin spent the first three seasons of his career as a rarely used situational player. He totaled 41 receptions, 717 yards and five touchdowns before more than doubling his production during a breakout 2015 campaign. The 5-foot-10, 175 pound speedster hauled in 68 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns en route to finishing 29th among wide receivers in fantasy points. Strictly a deep threat during his first three seasons, Benjamin's average depth of target dipped from 16.9 during that span to 12.5 last season.
The game-breaking speed and more-well-rounded production made Benjamin one of the offseason's most coveted free-agent wide receivers. He landed a multiyear deal with a San Diego club that makes heavy use of the wide receiver position. No NFL team used the '11' personnel package -- one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers -- when passing more than the Chargers did in 2014 (84 percent), and only eight teams did in 2015 (68 percent). With healthy receivers and Ladarius Green out the door to Pittsburgh, that 2015 number figures to rise this fall.
Although he's significantly smaller than his predecessor, Benjamin makes a lot of sense as a replacement for retired lid-lifter Malcolm Floyd. With Keenan Allen, Stevie Johnson, Antonio Gates and Danny Woodhead handling most of the targets in the short-to-mid range, Benjamin will handle a hefty chunk of the deep shots. Benjamin recorded four 50-plus-yard receptions last year, which trailed only Odell Beckham Jr. and Antonio Brown (five each).
Considering the upgrade from the atrocious quarterback rotation in Cleveland to Philip Rivers, there's certainly some fantasy appeal. The Chargers had a rough 2015 season, but note that they scored at least two offensive touchdowns in each of their first eight games last season before injuries derailed the season. Of their 21 touchdowns during the span, 19 came through the air.
On the other hand, although Benjamin is entering a better offense with a chance to play significant snaps, there's a fair chance that his target volume dips in San Diego. His projected role as the team's primary deep threat will certainly lead to inconsistent production, which wouldn't be much different from last season. Benjamin finished among the top 10 wide receivers in fantasy points in Weeks 1 and 2 but failed to do so the rest of the season. He managed only two additional top-20 finishes and ranked no better than 52nd at the position over the final five weeks of the season.
San Diego had a need at wide receiver and Benjamin fills the void, but he will be more of a complementary piece than a featured target. Expect Allen to remain the team's clear-cut top offensive weapon, with Benjamin, Johnson, Gates and Woodhead each handling five to seven targets most weeks. Benjamin won't be an ideal flex option in 10-team leagues most weeks, but he has the boom/bust upside you want in your DFS tournament lineups.