Los Angeles Chargers Depth Chart
- AFC West
- Stadium
- SoFi Stadium
- Head Coach
- Jim Harbaugh
- Offensive Coordinator
- Greg Roman
- Defensive Coordinator
- Jesse Minter
- Special Teams Coach
- Ryan Ficken
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said that recently signed running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles), who is coming back from a torn Achilles, "should be" ready for training camp at the end of July. Hortiz also said the Dobbins signing is not likely to change the team's draft approach at running back. "You don't want to turn away from a good player because you've signed someone," Hortiz said. The Bolts lost do-it-all back Austin Ekeler to free agency this offseason, but they also picked up Gus Edwards in free agency, and he should fit new offensive coordinator Greg Roman's and head coach Jim Harbaugh's offensive system extremely well. The 25-year-old Dobbins has played in just nine regular-season games the last two seasons combined due to devastating lower-body injuries, so it's fair to wonder how much he has left moving forward.
Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) plans to sign a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to his agent. Dobbins appeared in just one game in 2023 before he tore his Achilles and missed the remainder of the campaign. The veteran runner will be reunited with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who called plays for the Baltimore Ravens during a portion of Dobbins' stint there. Signs indicate that new head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to operate a run-heavy offensive approach with the Chargers, which would be good news for Dobbins, provided he's healthy. Consider this a good landing spot for Dobbins, who will look to prove his health in hopes of landing a long-term deal next offseason.
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is visiting with the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday. Bowers also has visited with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets this week, so he's making the rounds with interested club's with the NFL draft coming late next week. Even after missing his pro-day workout with a minor hamstring injury, the 21-year-old is projected to be a top-15 pick in this first round next week after dominating as a pass-catching tight end in college with the Bulldogs. Bowers had 2,538 receiving yards and 31 total touchdowns in three seasons, even after missing a big chunk of 2023 due to an ankle injury. It's probably unlikely the Bolts would take Bowers fifth overall, but if he did end up in LA, we could easily see him being fantasy relevant in Year 1 after the team lost pass-catchers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the offseason.
The Los Angeles Chargers have relied too heavily on the arm of quarterback Justin Herbert in recent seasons, and new head coach Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff plan to change that trend quickly in 2024. They plan to lean on their running backs to keep defenses puzzled and Herbert's life easier. It's the only kind of offense that new coordinator Greg Roman has operated in his career. Run-game coordinator and tight ends coach Andy Bischoff said the team will strive for a "balanced offense that brings out the greatest strengths in everyone on the unit." They'll be looking to be more physical up front with the offensive line. While this type of offense will mean less attempts for Herbert, it could make him more efficient when he does drop back to pass. RB Gus Edwards scored a career-high 13 TDs last year in Baltimore and should once again have plenty of fantasy appeal.
The Los Angeles Chargers are an obvious candidate to swing big at the wide receiver position in this year's NFL draft after trading away Keenan Allen and cutting Mike Williams this offseason, which is why The Athletic's Bruce Feldman is predicting the Bolts take Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fifth overall pick. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Harrison checks every box and is the consensus top receiver in this class with good length, strength, burst, polish and competitiveness. The 21-year-old is the most complete of any receiver to come out of Ohio State in the last decade, which is saying something, and he'd have immediate weekly starting potential for fantasy football managers if quarterback Justin Herbert was throwing to him in Year 1. Harrison is one of two players in this draft that Feldman would say is the closest to a "sure thing."