Season: 4th
ADP: 176th (TE23)

Remarking on Ladarius Green's improvement this offseason and need to involve him more in the offense a few weeks ago, quarterback Philip Rivers said "He’s looked really good and he needs to be a bigger part. We need to have him be a weapon for us because he could be a heck of a matchup for us against some defenses."

And in a "Monkey's Paw" sort of way, Rivers got his wish.

Antonio Gates' recent four-game suspension for violating the league's PED policy has thrown the door wide open for Green to step in and finally showcase the skills he's flashed in limited playing time behind the future Hall of Fame tight end.

Green is still a work in progress, but his 0.72 Reception NEP per target tied Zach Ertz for 13th in the league among all tight ends with at least 20 targets last season.

Beyond this, there's no denying his rare combination of size and speed. Standing at 6' 6" and with 4.56 wheels, he'll present mismatches for opposing defenses that Rivers has made a career of exploiting with the likes of Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates on the receiving end of many of his targets.

And if Green can use this opportunity and unique set of size and athleticism to make a big impact over the first four games of the season, he may just carve out a large enough role for himself as the team's top option at tight end even when Gates returns from his suspension.