Team Profile
Los Angeles Chargers
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5.7% 17thOff DVOA
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19.2% 17thPassing DVOA
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10.6% 10thRushing DVOA
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-44.4% 1stDef DVOA
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-51.5% 1stDef Passing DVOA
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-33.1% 3rdDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For24.0 10th
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Points Against6.5 1st
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Yards Per Game333.0 12th
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Yards Allowed Per Game233.0 2nd
A week after Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. had season-highs in catches (six) and receiving yards (98) while scoring two touchdowns in the Week 16 loss to the Green Bay Packers, he caught just one of his six targets for a gain of 18 yards in Sunday's 26-0 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars defense completely shut down an inept Carolina offense, leaving Chark few opportunities to do damage. He does have five touchdowns on the year in 14 games, but the 27-year-old pass-catcher hasn't been a very reliable WR4/flex option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. Chark will close out his first year in Carolina with a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first meeting against them in Week 13, Chark caught three of four targets for 56 yards, which was actually one of his better games of the year.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said that quarterback Taylor Heinicke (ankle) will do everything he can to play in the Week 18 regular season finale against the division-rival New Orleans Saints this Sunday. The team hopes to know by Friday and will prepare Desmond Ridder to start, just in case. Heinicke came down with a left-ankle injury in the Week 17 loss to the Chicago Bears and was benched late in the game after going 10-for-29 for 163 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The 30-year-old added 46 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Falcons QB situation has been dreadful this year. The fact that they are even considering Heinicke for another start this weekend is a testament to how underwhelming Ridder has been. Whoever starts under center for Atlanta against the Saints in a must-win game will be a low-end QB2 for fantasy managers in superflex leagues.
Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards found the end zone for the 12th time this year in Week 17's 56-19 demolition of the Miami Dolphins, rushing 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown. It was a fairly typical line by Edwards' standards, which have generally called for solid rushing efficiency with minimal involvement as a pass catcher for most of the year. Justice Hill caught five passes for 64 yards and a TD, remaining the better bet for receiving production out of the Ravens' backfield. Edwards lost a fumble in the third quarter, but it essentially served as no consequence on a day where Baltimore's offense was firing on all cylinders. The Ravens miss the lightning in their backfield with Keaton Mitchell (knee) done for the year, but Gus "The Bus" should continue to provide the thunder as their lead back for the postseason, assuming he sees little to no action in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers with the AFC's top seed locked up.