The Chargers have begun their training camp and now are a couple of days into it. It’s early, and they’re still playing without pads, but let’s look at the current state of the team, by position.

QB: Not sure who the agent of QB Justin Herbert is, but he just negotiated a whopper of a contract extension for Herbert. Herbert will receive a five-year, $262.5 million contract extension that will keep him with the Chargers through the 2029 season. In terms of fantasy impact, Herbert is probably one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL, is relatively durable, and has a plethora of quality targets, making him an early round selection in most fantasy drafts.

RB: On the opposite side of Herbert’s extension is RB Austin Ekeler, who wanted an extension but did not get one. Still, the team provided Ekeler with $1.75 million to sweeten the final year of his contract. In 2022, Ekeler carried 204 times for 915 yards, had 107 receptions for 722 yards, and 18 TDs overall, top in the NFL. This season, I’d expect Ekeler to remain a fantasy RB1, particularly since he is so versatile in the passing game. No other Chargers running backs are worth considering currently.

WR: The Chargers have plenty of excellent receiving threats including WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams, and rookie WR Quentin Johnston. My gut feeling is that Johnston has the potential to perform very well, especially if Williams or Allen becomes injured. Allen and Williams look like WR2s to me. Johnston could be taken a bit later but should be owned. It will be a watch and learn situation. Do bear in mind that the Chargers have considerable depth in this position. Speaking of depth, the Chargers have signed former Purdue WR Milton Wright via the NFL Supplemental Draft. Wright looks to be a solid addition, but I don’t sense that he will see a lot of opportunities unless he really sparkles.

TE: Veteran TE Gerald Everett looks like a TE2, while TE Donald Parham, Jr. and TE Tre’ McKitty should not be owned. Parham has shown flashes of what he can do but has lacked opportunities and hasn’t proved to be durable. McKitty has not impressed, albeit in limited opportunities as well.

PK: Looks like a competition between PK Dustin Hopkins and PK Cameron Dicker. My gut feeling is that Dicker will win because he’s younger, cheaper, and filled in quite well when Hopkins was injured.

DEF: The Chargers defense is solid, if not spectacular. In the past, many players have been often injured, and their defense seems to be lacking in depth. I do like the addition of former USC LB Tuli Tuipulotu to add another fresh set of legs to support LB Joey Bosa and LB Kahlil Mack.

End.