Los Angeles Chargers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) shed his walking boot on Thursday and was working out in the weight room. Herbert had a walking boot on for exactly two weeks while he deals with a plantar-fascia injury in his foot. It's good news that the 26-year-old is out of his boot, but it remains to be seen when he'll actually rejoin his teammates at training camp practices as he prepares for the start of the 2024 season. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks with his foot, it's likely that Herbert will be ready for the Week 1 regular-season matchup against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders. Herbert's fantasy stock was already on the decline before his foot injury with his top targets -- Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams -- all departing in the offseason and with a run-first offense expected under the new coaching staff.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) is still in a walking boot. It was reported on August 1 that Herbert would wear a boot on his right foot for approximately two weeks while he recovers from a plantar fascia injury. Now that the two-week mark is almost upon us, fantasy managers will be eager to see Herbert walking under his own power again. Herbert is looking to bounce back after a down season in 2023. Injuries and poor team organization limited Herbert to 3,134 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 13 games. The Chargers have revamped their wide receiver core and will need Herbert to perform at a high level to support the inexperienced pass catchers. Fantasy managers interested in rostering Herbert or any Chargers skill players should closely monitor this situation.

The Athletic's Daniel Popper went into training camp thinking the Los Angeles Chargers would only keep five receivers, but impressive performances by wideout Brenden Rice has forced Popper to open up an additional spot in this group. Rice has shown he can be a productive receiver at the NFL level. His size, athleticism, route-running, hands and instincts are all NFL-caliber. However, the receiver room remains wide open, and Simi Fehoko has also been making plenty of plays, including a 29-yard reception in the preseason opener on Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks. Fehoko also played on all core-four special teams units on Saturday. In addition to Rice and Fehoko, rookie Jaylen Johnson has had a strong camp, putting himself on the roster bubble. Popper lists Joshua Palmer, rookie Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark, Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis as the first five receivers for the Bolts.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey has gotten plenty of positive attention during his first NFL training camp, and head coach Jim Harbaugh went as far as to say his route running is "elite." The second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft appears to be establishing himself as a clear starter for the Bolts, and he could play his way into the No. 1 wide receiver role ahead of Joshua Palmer. The 22-year-old didn't have the most impressive counting stats at Georgia, but he played in a run-heavy offense that often had the lead and competed with Brock Bowers, George Pickens, and Jermaine Burton, among others for targets. His 14.2 yards per reception and 16.6 yards per carry in college and his 4.39 40-yard dash time at the 2024 NFL Combine suggest he could be an efficient play-maker for Justin Herbert right away. Although the Chargers are expected to deploy a run-heavy offensive attack, McConkey could be a weekly WR3 or flex option if he earns the target-hog role in L.A.

Los Angels Chargers running back Jaret Patterson has impressed the coaching staff and appears to have grasped the RB3 role right now, which has led The Athletic's Daniel Popper to list rookie sixth-rounder Kimani Vidal as the first RB off the active roster when the regular season starts. Patterson has gotten the most reps with the first team in training camp practices among the four backs competing behind Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. He was also the first RB in the game in the preseason opener on Saturday, ahead of both Isaiah Spiller and Elijah Dotson. Vidal was in uniform for warmups but did not dress for the game. Spiller is on the first-team punt unit and has familiarity with special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. Vidal has also been dealing with an injury and missed four full days of practice earlier this month.