In week 3 preseason action, the New Orleans Saints clobbered the L.A. Chargers 36-7. As you might guess, the starters didn’t play a lot, so it probably doesn’t mean much. Here’s a recap and thoughts on the current state of the team.

QB: Chargers QB Philip Rivers was 5 of 7 for 29 yards in limited play. He looks poised to have another strong season in 2018 and is worthy of starting consideration in most leagues. His backups weren’t great, but I don’t think that matters so long as Rivers remains healthy.

RB: Starting RB Melvin Gordon did not play. Should be a solid RB1 once the season starts. His back-up, RB Austin Ekeler impressed with 6 carries for 50 yards and 3 receptions for 13 yards. If you are in a large league, he might be worth a spot, but probably not in smaller leagues. If Gordon is injured, Ekeler’s value increases dramatically.

WR: None of the receivers we’ve heard of did much. WR Keenan Allen caught 1 for 5 yards. If he remains healthy, Allen is likely a WR1, but he has a slight build and durability is a legitimate concern. WR Mike Williams caught 1 for 13 yards. This could be a breakout year for Williams but only time will tell. If you draft him, don’t chase him, but he could surprise to the upside. WR Travis Benjamin dropped the only ball thrown his way. He has speed, but is too inconsistent for my taste.

TE: I’ll just keep it simple. The Chargers do not have a tight end option that I can recommend that this time. There, that was easy. As you might know, TE Hunter Henry is on injured reserve. Word is that the Bolts made an insulting low-ball offer to former Charger TE Antonio Gates, but to date, he has not accepted their offer.

PK: The Chargers kicked 1 extra point. Not much to discuss and not loving their kicking options thus far. If things change, you’ll read it here first.

DEF: Obviously, you had a lot of 2^nd and 3^rd string guys trying to make the team, but 36-7 is a butt-kicking. I suspect the Chargers defense will be strong this year, particularly from a fantasy perspective. While they may give up some points, I also expect them to make some big plays most games.

End.