2023 NFL Team Offseason Roundup: Los Angeles Chargers

It’s time to look ahead to the 2023 NFL season! Follow along with all our fantasy football team offseason roundups here.

It’s been a very busy NFL offseason, with free-agent signings, coaching changes and several new players entering the league via the NFL Draft. As we prepare for the 2023 fantasy football season, it’s critical to have a full understanding of each team’s off-season moves. Our NFL team roundup series today covers the Los Angeles Chargers.

2023 NFL Team Roundup: Los Angeles Chargers

2022 Results 

Record: 10-7; 2nd in the AFC West 
Season End: Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-30, eliminated in the Wild Card Round 

Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Summary 

Draft 

1.21: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 
2.55: Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC 
3.85: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State 
4.125: Derius Davis, WR/KR, TCU 
5.156: Jordan McFadden, G, Clemson 
6.200: Scott Matlock, DL, Boise State 
7.239: Max Duggan, QB, TCU 

Quentin Johnston, WR (1.21) 

With an aging wide receiver core that has struggled to stay healthy, the Chargers used their first-round selection on TCU product Quentin Johnston (No. 21), the second receiver drafted in the 2023 class. Johnston flashed as a true freshman in 2020, recording the highest single-season yards per catch (22.1) by a first-year player in Big 12 history. In his second season, Johnston set a school record, averaging 22.1 yards per catch, the most by any player in a single season. He was even better as a junior last season, finishing second in the nation in yards after catch per reception (8.9). Johnson received first-team All-Big 12 honors for a second year in a row, leading his team in targets (98), receptions (60), receiving yards (1,069), and receiving touchdowns (6). He also won the College Football Playoff Semifinal Offensive MVP award, catching 6 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown against Michigan to help TCU advance into the National Championship. 

Derius Davis, WR (4.125) 

The Chargers circled back to the wide receiver position on Day 3, selecting another Horned Frog, Derius Davis, in the fourth round (No. 125). In his final season as a senior, Davis finished second on the team in targets (61) receptions (42), and receiving touchdowns (5), behind Quentin Johnston. He was dynamic on special teams, receiving first Team tll-American honors as a punt returner and named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2022. Davis also won the Jet Award, as the top return specialist in the nation. He was one of only five players with two punt return touchdowns last season and became TCU’s all-time leader in punt return touchdowns (5). His six career special teams touchdowns are the most by any player, tied with 2022 USFL MVP and current Dallas Cowboy, KaVontae Turpin. 

Max Duggan, QB (7.239) 

In the seventh round (No.239), the Chargers completed the shower narrative, pairing TCU quarterback Max Duggan with his two wide receivers. Duggan was the team’s starter from 2019 to 2021, before losing the job to Chandler Morris at the start of the 2022 season. Duggan’s role as the backup didn’t last long after Morris suffered a knee injury in the season opener. Duggan had a career year last season, throwing for 3,698 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the Horned Frogs to their first-ever National Championship game. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and became the first player in school history to receive the Davey O’Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. 

Additions 

Free agent signings: LB Eric Kendricks, DT Nick Williams 

Kellen Moore, OC

After letting go of Joe Lombardi, the Chargers hired one of the hottest names on the market offense in 33-year-old playcalling savant Kellen Moore. Since Moore took over as the offensive coordinator for Dallas in 2019, the Cowboys offense has ranked second in yards (391) and points (27.7) per game, over the past four seasons. Moore should help improve Justin Herbert‘s abysmal 6.4-yard average depth of target last season, trailing only Matt Ryan as the second lowest among all signal callers with at least 400 dropbacks. In comparison, Dak Prescott’s had an 8.2-yard aDOT in 2022, which ranked inside the top 10.

Eric Kendricks, LB 

After finishing bottom five in rushing defense in back-to-back seasons, the Chargers signed former girst-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler linebacker Eric Kendricks to a two-year, $13.25M contract to help strengthen their core. After recording 83 tackles as a rookie in 2015, Kendricks has logged 100-plus tackles in seven-straight seasons, the second-longest active streak in the NFL. During his eight-year stint with Minnesota, Kendricks started 113-of-117 regular-season games, totaling 919 tackles, 15 sacks, 54 tackles for loss, 51 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two interceptions that were both returned for a touchdown. 

Departures

LB Drue Tranquill, G Matt Feiler, WR DeAndre Carter, LB Troy Reeder, Christian Covington, EDGE Joe Gaziano, OT Storm Norton, DT Breiden Fehoko 

Drue Tranquill, LB 

Drue Tranquill had the best season of his career in 2022, leading the Chargers in tackles (146) to go along with five sacks and four passes defended.

Matt Feiler, G 

After signing with the Chargers in 2021, Matt Feiler was immediately slotted into the starting lineup, appearing in 33 pf 34 regular season games. He struggled in protection last season, allowing 38 quarterback pressures and five sacks. Feiler’s 54.6 PFF grade ranked 61st at the position. 

Los Angeles Chargers Fantasy Outlook 

The four most interesting Chargers fantasy options:

Austin Ekeler, RB 

After an RB2 overall finish in 2021, Austin Ekeler finished first at the position in 2022, leading all non-quarterbacks in fantasy points. He posted a career-high 915 rushing yards, scoring double-digit touchdowns on the ground for a second year in a row (12). Ekeler was also utilized heavily as the receiver, benefiting from the absence of Keenan Allen and/or Mike Williams for much of the season, leading the Chargers in targets (127) and receptions (107). With the ball in his hand, Ekeler gained a league-high 863 yards after the catch, with no other player within 150 yards in that category. Despite turning 28 in May, Ekeler has shown no signs of slowing down and has a strong case to be the first running back selected in 2023. 

Keenan Allen, WR 

Keenan Allen had trouble staying on the field early in his career but has stayed relatively healthy, missing just two games in the last five seasons before 2022. Unfortunately, Allen didn’t have the same luck this past season, tweaking his hamstring in the season opener. He missed the next five games, before returning in Week 7, but ended up reaggravating his hamstring. Allen would miss the next two games, before making a second comeback in Week 11. In the last eight weeks of the season, Allen went on a tear, hauling in a league-high 60 receptions with the fifth-most receiving yards (689) and fourth-most receiving touchdowns (4) during that stretch. In eight games with at least a 65% snap share, Allen averaged 10.8 targets, 9.0 receptions and 85.5 receiving yards. Extrapolated over a 17-game season, Allen would have registered 182.8 total targets, trailing only Justin Jefferson in 2022, and 153 receptions, a new single-season record. He was also on pace for 1,453 receiving yards, which would have been the sixth most by any player last season. <img class="image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:46.88%;" src="https://d2y4ihze0bzr5g.cloudfront.net/source/2020/Justin_herbert.jpg" alt="

One year removed from finishing as the QB2 in 2022, Justin Herbert did not have the same success last season, finishing outside the top 10 at the position. He averaged less than 20 fantasy points for the first time in his career (16.6), finishing as the QB14 on a per0game basis. Herbert’s production took a significant hit with his top two wide receivers (Keenan Allen and Mike Williams) rarely being available at the same time for the majority of the season, limiting his upside. Despite finishing second in the NFL in pass attempts (699) and passing yards (4,739), Herbert struggled to find the end zone, posting a career-low 3.6% touchdown rate. Regression should be on Herbert’s side next season, as he is poised for a bounceback with a little bit of injury luck. The addition of first-round wide receiver Quentin Johnston should also help elevate the passing game and pose another threat in the red zone. 

Mike Williams, WR 

Mike Williams had a strong start to the season in 2022, operating as the Chargers’ WR1 with Keenan Allen limited or out of the lineup. He eclipsed 100 receiving yards in three of his first five games, with two top-10 finishes at the position. In Keenan Allen’s first game back in Week 7, Williams was on his way to another strong outing, catching seven passes on nine targets for 86 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse late in the game, when Williams landed awkwardly on his ankle and suffering a brutal sprain. He missed the next two games, before returning to the lineup in Week 11. Williams clearly wasn’t healthy and re-injured his ankle on the first drive. After another two weeks off, Williams came back in dominant fashion, catching all six passes that came his way for 116 yards and a touchdown. In Weeks 14-17, Williams averaged seven targets a game for 5.5 receptions, 88.25 receiving yards, and 0.25 touchdowns. Just when it looked like the Chargers were finally getting healthy, Williams fractured his back in a meaningless Week 18 game which would ultimately put an end to his season. Injuries have been a recurring pattern for much of Williams’s career, but he appears to have made a full recovery entering training camp. 

2023 Outlook 

DraftKings Sportsbook Wins Over/Under: 9.5 (-115/-105) 
AFC West odds: +340 

The Chargers will be looking for redemption in 2023, looking to amend their heartbreaking loss in the playoffs last season when they blew a 27-point lead. As is the case every year, the expectations are high in LA, led by one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league. The roster remains intact but could see a major shake-up next offseason once the team settles on a new contract for Justin Herbert. The offense should look significantly better next season with better injury luck and the addition of Kellen Moore as the new offensive coordinator. During Moore’s four-year tenure in Dallas, the Cowboys ranked second in total offense and third in EPA/play.