Los Angeles Chargers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

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.

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (calf) is missing a second straight practice this week on Thursday. Conklin picked up a calf injury in the Week 17 blowout loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills and is now trending toward missing the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Miami Dolphins unless he can return to practice on Friday. The 29-year-old is coming off a season-high eight-catch performance last Sunday in which he also recorded 57 receiving yards and his third touchdown of the year. The Jets have nothing to play for this weekend, so it's unlikely they'll try to force Conklin out onto the field if he's not 100 percent. If he is not active for what could be quarterback Aaron Rodgers' final game in the NFL, Jeremy Ruckert and Kenny Yeboah would battle for TE1 duties in New York.

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (calf) did not practice with the rest of the team on Wednesday. Conklin apparently picked up a calf injury in the Week 17 loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills in which he had one of his best showings of the season. The 29-year-old caught all eight of his targets for 57 yards and a touchdown, but now his availability will be in question heading into the regular-season finale in Week 18 versus the division-rival Miami Dolphins. If Conklin is unable to get back on the practice field this week, the Jets would have more playing time available for tight ends Jeremy Ruckert and Kenny Yeboah, although neither player would excite fantasy managers setting DFS lineups. In his third year with the Jets in 2024, Conklin has barely moved the fantasy needle, catching 49 passes for 433 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets in 15 games.

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 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.