On Saturday, August 12^th, the Chargers will have their first preseason game "on the road" against the Los Angeles Rams. While it’s considered an away game, it’s also in their home stadium, so it may not feel like an away game. A recent article suggested that the new addition of OC Kellen Moore may be the most impactful move in the NFL in terms of coordinators. We shall see. We do know that the Chargers have a young, outstanding quarterback and some excellent offensive weapons, but only time will tell. Here’s a look at the current state of the team, by position.

QB: It’s clear that this is the QB Justin Herbert show. He is undoubtedly one of the NFL’s best and should be taken relatively early in most fantasy drafts. As mentioned, he has some excellent offensive weapons, particularly at wide receiver and it would surprise me if he didn’t have yet another outstanding season. If Herbert were injured, it’s a big drop in quality to their back-ups, but fortunately for the team, Herbert has shown himself to be both tough and durable.

RB: I remain concerned about the lack of depth in the Bolts’ running game. While RB Austin Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns in 2022, I haven’t been impressed by their back-ups. Perhaps one of them, or more, will show us something this season. For now, Ekeler remains a RB1 and avoid the others.

WR: Not considered by depth with respect to the teams receiving corps. While not as young as they once were, WR Keenan Allen and WR Mike Williams are still formidable threats and should be viewed as WR2s for now on most fantasy teams. While he’s only a rookie, I have a good feeling about WR Quentin Johnston. For now, I’d pencil him in as a WR3, but I think he has a lot of upside, especially considering that Allen and Williams are somewhat often-injured. That said, it’s hard to get too excited about a rookie, until we see how much playing time they get and show us what they can do. The Chargers have several other quality receivers capable of stepping up in the event of injury, but for now, I’d focus on Allen, Williams and Johnston. Bearing this in mind, I’d also keep an eye on WR Josh Palmer, but I’m concerned that he may not have as many opportunities as we’d like. Don’t draft him, but watch and learn.

TE: It’s possible that OC Moore opens things up in the passing game, which could improve the stats for some of their receivers, like speedy 6-8 Donald Parham, Jr. But currently, the only Bolt TE I’d even consider drafting is TE Gerald Everett and only as a TE2, aka not at all in smaller leagues.

PK: It’s still an off-season battle between veteran PK Dustin Hopkins, and PK Cameron Dicker. I suspect Dicker will win the competition since he too is accurate, but he is younger and will be cheaper to sign.

DEF: I think it’s fair to say that the Chargers defense often performs below expectations. The team has spent a lot of money to improve their D in 2023, but the questions remain as to whether we’ll see the kind of improvement we’ve expected for many seasons. Standout players include CB J.C. Jackson, who is recovering from a season-ending injury, CB Asante Samuel, Jr., LB Joey Bosa, LB Khalil Mack, and I like the signing of rookie LB Tuli Tuipulotu. Will this be a breakout season for the Chargers’ defense? It’s hard to say. For now, consider them a middle-of-the-pack fantasy defense and we will upgrade them accordingly if they live up to expectations.

End.