On paper at least, the Chargers appear to have one of the better, and perhaps the best, team in the AFC West. That said, as a long-suffering (then) San Diego Chargers season ticket holder, I know firsthand of the team’s decades of unfulfilled promise. Nonetheless, the team has many players who should help your fantasy team quite a lot. They had a solid draft and have made bold free agent signings that should improve their performance. Here’s a look at the current state of the Bolts.

QB: Looks like QB Justin Herbert added about 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason, bulking up to 245 pounds. Their offensive line looks to be improved with the 1^st round draft of G Zion Johnson. While Johnson is expected to be very good, as a rookie, he obviously lacks NFL experience. But in my view, Herbert is certainly a top 10 fantasy quarterback and very possibly a top 5 option.

RB: While RB Austin Ekeler is an excellent all-purpose running back, I remain concerned about a lack of depth in their backfield. No other Chargers running backs have stepped up and distinguished themselves to date. The Chargers did select former Aggies RB Isaiah Spiller in the 4^th round, but only time will tell how he performs.

WR: Fortunately, wide receiver is an area where the Chargers do have some depth. The obvious fantasy choices are WR Keenan Allen and WR Mike Williams, who arguably are one of the better 1-2 punches in the League. WR Jalen Guyton and WR Joshua Palmer are also solid.

TE: In my view, the Chargers have three very good tight ends in free agent signing TE Gerald Everett, TE Donald Parham, Jr. and TE Tre’ McKitty. Everett is the obvious fantasy choice and should get the bulk of the targets. Parham and McKitty are more risky fantasy options due to lack of opportunities, yet both are fully capable of big plays.

PK: Returning is PK Dustin Hopkins, who after being released by Washington, did a great job for the Chargers. Expect Hopkins to remain an above average fantasy option.

DEF: I would expect the Chargers defense to get much better this season. They’ve added star players and some depth to an already decent foundation. The headline signing was former Patriot CB J.C. Jackson. DT Sebastian Joseph changes locker rooms, moving from the Rams to the Chargers. DT Austin Johnson arrives from the NY Giants and DT Justin Jones comes over from Chicago. Further, half the Chargers draft picks were focused on their defense with S JT Woods being selected in the 3^rd round and big DT OtitoOgbonnia being drafted out of UCLA in the 5^th round. I would be surprised if the Chargers defense wasn’t considerable improved in 2022.

I’ll be back shortly with further updates on the Chargers.

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