Los Angeles Chargers

According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey (toe) returned to practice on Thursday. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on the official injury report later on Thursday to see his status. Nonetheless, it is a positive sign to see him back on the field after sitting out during Wednesday's initial session. Last weekend, the 23-year-old brought in eight of his ten targets for two touchdowns. Over his past six contests, McConkey has seen an average of 8.3 targets per game and has tallied 93.7 yards per game with three scores. If McConkey is able to suit up on Sunday to face the Las Vegas Raiders, he should be viewed as a solid WR2 in PPR formats. If not, then Quentin Johnson should see a significant increase in targets operating as the No.1 wide receiver.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) did not participate with the rest of the team in Wednesday's practice. Edwards didn't play in the Week 17 win over the New England Patriots last Saturday and is firmly in danger of missing a second straight game in the Week 18 regular-season finale this Sunday against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Depending on the outcome of the Bengals-Steelers game on Saturday, the Chargers could be locked into the No. 6 seed in the AFC for the playoffs. If the Bolts cannot move up to the No. 5 seed with a win over Vegas, they almost certainly would rest injured players like Edwards. Even if Edwards were to play this weekend, his fantasy value would take a hit now that J.K. Dobbins is back from Injured Reserve. There's a good chance that rookie Kimani Vidal could lead LA's backfield in Week 18.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers Ladd McConkey (toe) and Joshua Palmer (foot) were both listed as non-participants in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. McConkey is dealing with a new injury, but he seemed fine in the Week 17 beatdown of the New England Patriots, when he had eight catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old second-rounder has been a must-start in fantasy all year in his first season in the NFL as quarterback Justin Herbert's favorite target. However, the Chargers could rest him and other key starters on offense in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. If the Steelers beat the Bengals on Saturday, the Bolts would be locked into the No. 6 seed in the AFC for the playoffs and wouldn't have much incentive to play their starters.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (heel) shouldn't require a stint on the injured reserve, according to head coach Jim Harbaugh. Palmer was seen wearing a walking boot following Saturday's win over the New England Patriots. This comes after Palmer was forced to exit during the second half on Saturday due to a heel injury. The expectation is that the Chargers are going to hold out Palmer for Week 18. However, the 25-year-old might be ready to play in time for the playoffs. The absence of Palmer should mean more targets for Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. Possibly, DJ Chark gets more involved as the third wideout, but he's not a reliable fantasy option.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn't commit on Monday to whether the starters will play this Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. If the Pittsburgh Steelers win on Saturday against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the Chargers would be locked into the No. 6 seed and would face either the Baltimore Ravens or the Steelers in the wild-card round. However, if the Steelers lose on Saturday, the Bolts would have a chance to move up to the No. 5 seed with a win over the Raiders. The fifth seed in the AFC will travel to face the Houston Texans on wild-card weekend. "We'd love to be the fifth seed," Harbaugh said. The decision on whether to play quarterback Justin Herbert and the rest of the starters this weekend will all come down to whether LA has a chance to move into the No. 5 seed.