The Los Angeles Chargers have won 70% of their games this season.
As a result, the success goes a long way, not just from the coaches, led by head coach Jim Harbaugh, but also the players.
Whether it is the newcomers or the returning faces, each player has put themselves in a position for success as the Chargers approach the final stretch.
For the newcomers in particular, whether they were acquired from trades, free agency, or in the draft, they have been faced with new lifestyles while representing the Bolts in 2024.
We grade how the new faces have done so far in 2024.
Joe Alt, OT — Grade: A
Joe Alt has lived up to expectations in his rookie year on the offensive line. The fifth overall pick last April has played in nine of the team’s 10 games so far. Within those nine games, Alt has played every offensive snap while also getting work on special teams, primarily in field goal situations.
All season long, Alt has been high among all offensive tackles in the NFL, including an 84.1 grade in Week 11, the highest grade at the position, according to Pro Football Focus. In addition, Alt was the sixth-best rookie in Week 11 when the Chargers were able to hold on to a 34-27 win over Cincinnati.
Whether it is guarding Herbert or opening up gaps in the run game, Alt has been a pivotal piece in the offense. Overall, Alt has seen 315 pass-blocking snaps and has allowed just 12 pressures for a 76.2 PFF grade in those situations.
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J.K. Dobbins — Grade: A-
J.K. Dobbins has excelled in his first season in Los Angeles as he reunites with his former offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
The Chargers needed to rely on the Dobbins in the run game, especially early on when Herbert was still trying to heal fully from injury to adjust in the passing game to the new offensive play style.
Through Week 11, Dobbins ranks 11th with 726 rushing yards. He is also tied for fifth among running backs with eight rushing touchdowns, along with Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs, and Los Angeles Rams’ Kyren Williams.
Dobbins is also tied for second with Baltimore’s Derrick Henry with three rushes for at least 40 yards. This also comes as Dobbins has not fumbled the ball on 152 rushing attempts.
Since his back-to-back 130-yard performances in the first two games, Dobbins has yet to crack triple digits on the ground. His success this season so far has easily put him in the Comeback Player of the Year conversation after dealing with multiple leg injuries over the last few years.
His best rushing performance in the last eight games was when he got 25 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown in the 23-16 victory in Denver on Oct. 13.
In addition, his most effective game in the last eight matchups came against Cleveland when he averaged 6.1 yards per carry in a multi-touchdown performance.
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Ladd McConkey — Grade: B +
The battle for the No. 1 receiver in the offense has primarily been between Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.
McConkey, who was the team’s second-round pick last April out of Georgia, has had some success being the team’s leading receiver in five of the 10 games. That also includes leading the team in receiving yards in three of the last four games, including getting 123 yards through the air last week against the Bengals.
So far this season, McConkey has accumulated 43 receptions on 63 targets for 615 yards and four touchdowns. The 68.3 catch percentage has helped build the rapport as a first-year player with Justin Herbert.
McConkey caught both of Herbert’s completed passes in the final drive last week for 28 and 27 yards, respectively, to eventually up the 29-yard touchdown run by Dobbins
“He runs such great routes, and he comes back at such a friendly angle,” Herbert said of McConkey on Wednesday. “He’s never running into danger and he’s never running directly into a guy that’s going to cover him. He has a great feel for zone and enough shiftiness to be able to beat man coverage.
“When you have a combination like that and a guy that really understands defenses and how people want to play him, he just finds a way to get open.”
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Will Dissly — Grade: B
The evolution of the Los Angeles Chargers’ passing game has elevated the growth of tight end Will Dissly, who spent his first six NFL seasons in Seattle.
In his first season as a Charger, Dissly has emerged as one of Herbert’s go-to passing options, alongside McConkey and Johnston.
Through just 10 games, he has already reached career-highs in receptions (48) and yards (352).
In addition, most of his production has come rather recently. In the last six games, in which the Chargers won five of those games, Dissly has logged at least five targets in five of those games, including seeing 11 targets in Arizona he caught eight of those passes for 81 yards.
“He and Justin have this thing going and Will’s got a really good feel for the game,” Roman said before facing Cincinnati. “He’s sneaky good in the passing game. That goes a long way at the tight end position anytime you’re working inside. We’ve got to keep fostering that, move the chains.
“Really pleased with the contributions he’s been able to make for us this year in protection, run game, and obviously in the passing game.”
His growth in the offense really showed against the Bengals when he caught four passes on six targets for 80 yards and his first touchdown of the season. He was catching passes up seams and finding ways to get open as he was a crucial part of the Chargers getting the win.
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DJ Chark — Grade: D
Part of wide receiver DJ Chark’s low grade is due to the lack of production in this Chargers offense.
DJ Chark, who spent time in Detroit and Carolina the past two years after his first four NFL seasons in Jacksonville, made his Chargers debut against Tennessee a couple of weeks ago despite not recording a target.
He was put on injured reserve to begin the season before being activated against the Browns. As a result, Chark has been trying to get into game shape over the last few weeks to ensure that he is healthy when he goes back on to the field.
Not being ready to play in the first eight games, which is nearly half a season, goes a long way into then trying to insert yourself into a productive role in the middle of the season.
“There’s definitely not a reason to say, ‘Hey, we got to get him in, get him out,’” Roman said last week before facing Cincinnati. “We’re going to try to integrate him more and more as we go. He’s looking good.”
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