Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers have signed free-agent wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. to a one-year, $5 million contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Chark reportedly visited with the Chargers prior to last week's NFL draft. He could play a key role in Los Angeles after the team parted with both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason. Right now, their current depth chart is headlined by Chark, Quentin Johnston, and Joshua Palmer, as well as up-and-coming rookies Ladd McConkey and Brenden Rice. Chark spent last season with the Carolina Panthers, catching 35 passes for 525 yards and five touchdowns over the course of 15 games. While the Chargers lack a true alpha receiver at the moment, they have plenty of raw talent at the position, which could make it difficult for Chark to carve out a role. For now, fantasy managers should monitor his performance throughout training camp before they consider selecting him in drafts later this summer.

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles), who suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in 2023 while with the Baltimore Ravens, said he's "100 percent now." Dobbins had 805 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries for the Ravens in his rookie year. But since then, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2021, played in just eight games in 2022 with another knee injury and missed all of last year with his Achilles tear. He'll be joining former Ravens RB Gus Edwards and offensive coordinator Greg Roman in LA in 2024. The familiarity with Roman is definitely good for Dobbins as he attempts to return from yet another devastating injury, but the presence of Edwards and Dobbins' extensive injury history will make him a pretty big fantasy risk with the Bolts. At best, the 25-year-old will probably be a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex for fantasy managers.

The Los Angeles Chargers selected University of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday. The Chargers moved up to take McConkey by trading their 37th and 110th selections of the 2024 NFL Draft with the New England Patriots in exchange for the 34th and 137th picks. The 22-year-old is viewed as one of the best route runners in this wide receiver class, and the Chargers had a dire need at wideout after moving on from Mike Williams and Keenan Allen this offseason. Although McConkey's numbers over the last three years aren't all that impressive (119 receptions for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns), it's worth noting he battled injuries as a senior, and he dominated at the NFL Combine. With Quentin Johnston struggling to make an impact as a rookie, McConkey could make a run to be Justin Herbert's go-to target.

In recent weeks, both the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings reached out to the Los Angeles Chargers to see if they had any interest in trading quarterback Justin Herbert, according to league sources. The answer they got very quickly was "a flat no." Not only do the Chargers love Herbert, but they also would have had to take on a $63.5 million salary cap charge in 2024 at a time they have $32.3 million of cap space. Meanwhile, the Patriots took QB Drake Maye third overall and the Vikings took QB J.J. McCarthy 11th overall in the first round of this year's NFL draft. There's still a lot to like about the 26-year-old Herbert, but it's hard to ignore the fact that he lost Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason and is now in a run-first offense under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

University of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey has seemingly been rising up draft boards since his impressive showing at the 2024 NFL Combine, and he is now favored to be a first-round pick, according to DraftKings Sportsbook's odds. DraftKings gives the 22-year-old -105 odds to be one of the first 32 players off the board. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, the speedster collected 119 receptions for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 216 yards and four scores. He also averaged 13.3 yards per punt return on 21 attempts. He's a dynamic and versatile weapon with real route-running juice, so WR-needy teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills could be interested in pushing the draft button on him late in the first round on Thursday.