New Ranking Out: Is the Chargers WR Room The Worst In the NFL?

There is no unanswered question from the Los Angeles Chargers offseason bigger than, who will replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The team went down all (budget) aisles to find the answer to that question. They added D.J. Chark and used three draft picks to select wide receivers. They even brought on three undrafted free agents to the position to give themselves plenty of material to work with.

After two preseason games, this question still lingers as no receiver has flashed, in large part due to terrible quarterback play.

Analyst Makes the Case The Chargers WRs Are Bottom Of the NFL

The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino has not been impressed with what he has seen from the group so far. In his recent wide receiver room rankings, he puts the Chargers dead last in the league behind the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.

Valentino’s Projected WR room: Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark, Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Brenden Rice

“It’s hard to have a lot of positivity around the Los Angeles Chargers ‘ receiving corps.” writes Valentino, “Ladd McConkey is hurt right now but should be a difference-maker when he’s on the field.

Outside of him, DJ Chark is beating out 2023 first-rounder Quentin Johnston, and Josh Palmer is a mediocre contributor who has yet to fully break out entering Year 4. The Chargers will have to survive and make do with a group that lacks developmental upside and standout physical traits.”

It is hard to argue with the logic. The most productive receivers on the team are Chark and Palmer. Chark peaked with 1008 yards, but that was in 2019. That was prior to a litany of injuries he has suffered over the intervening five years. He has caught 65 passes for 1027 yards over the last two years. Since Palmer was drafted in 2021, his primary role was to replace Allen or Williams when they were injured, which was often. When given more playing time, his production went up, but was never a threat to take over the top spot on the draft chart.

The remaining are all potential energy. McConkey and Rice are both rookies and former first-rounder, Quentin Johnston had a terrible rookie season. He remains as much of a mystery as the rookies, but also still has the stink of a draft bust on him.

Ultimately, the question is will it matter? The Jim Harbaugh/ Greg Roman offenses have never featured high-end receivers. The last time he was an NFL head coach, Harbaugh’s leading receivers were Michael Crabtree and a 33+-year-old Anquan Bolden.

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