Fantasy football: Breaking down the LA Chargers backfield

Perhaps no team has seen a bigger overhaul of skill players than the Los Angeles Chargers, which hired new head coach Jim Harbaugh and are in the process of adapting to his style. Among the departed are last year’s Week 1 starters at running back (Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders), tight end (Gerald Everett, Chicago Bears), and wide receiver (Keenan Allen, Bears, and Mike Williams, New York Jets). Even their No. 2 rusher, Joshua Kelly, remains unsigned and is unlikely to return.

It’s a lot of change, and yet, the top of LA’s backfield looks familiar … to Baltimore Ravens fans. With former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman now running the show for Harbaugh, the Bolts waded into free agency to pluck RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards on short-term deals. Both have a lot of experience in Roman’s offense, and Harbaugh’s desire to set a physical tone suggests the Chargers will be running more in 2024 than they did under the previous regime.

Of course, the caveat to such an approach is the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert, who is among the NFL’s best. It’s difficult to imagine they’ll fully marginalize the ascending superstar, but with their wideouts in a state of transition, a healthy dose of the ground game feels likely this season.

J.K. Dobbins

In an ideal world, Dobbins would be the lead back. Currently, he’s not the RB1 on LA’s depth chart (more on that to come). The former second-round pick has rarely lived in that world since being drafted in 2020, however, appearing in just nine games over the past three seasons combined. Last year, a torn Achilles tendon ended his campaign after just eight carries. Before that, it was a torn ACL that cost him all of 2021 and lingered throughout 2022.

When healthy, Dobbins has looked the part of a top-tier back, averaging 5.8 yards on his 234 career carries and scoring a dozen times. He boasted a dangerous mix of power and speed, though after two major injuries it remains to be seen how much burst remains. Dobbins claims to be fully recovered from his Achilles tear. We’ll see.

Gus Edwards

Edwards was nothing if not consistent during his time in Baltimore, finishing each of his four full seasons with between 710 and 810 yards rushing. He wasn’t as efficient last season, pairing a career-high 198 carries with a career-low 4.1 yards per rush — he’d never averaged fewer than 5.0 before. He showed newfound effectiveness in the red zone, though, scoring 13 times to match his previously combined career total. He’s a nonfactor as a receiver, having caught just 30 passes in the NFL.

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While not as explosive as Dobbins, Edwards is steady and more effective than many give him credit for. Even though we’re listing him second here he secured the bigger contract, so the Bolts view him as a safer investment, and he is fully expected to open the year as the RB1. Fantasy owners would do well to make note of that reality, but for how long does this one-dimensional back stay planted in that role?

Kimani Vidal and Isaiah Spiller

Between durability concerns and a lack of involvement in the passing game from the two players above, the RB3 spot in LA is a dark horse to produce some fantasy value. The top contenders for that role are Spiller, who has failed to make his mark in two seasons, and Vidal, a 5-foot-8, 213-pound, sixth-round pick in this year’s draft. Given that Spiller was a draft pick of former general manager Tom Telesco, Vidal would seem to have the upper hand here, and his ability as a receiver might be enticing as a contrast to those ahead of him.

Fantasy football outlook

There are basically question marks everywhere for the Chargers offensively, and the running back room is no different. In terms of the highest ceiling, it’s Dobbins. That 5.8 yards-per-carry average is the best in the NFL since he entered the league among players with at least 200 attempts. If he can stay healthy, and if he’s still the same player, Donbins could deliver big-time production. Those are two huge ifs, though, making him more of an RB4 with upside.

Edwards, meanwhile, figures to be a steadying force. Even if Dobbins stays upright for 18 weeks, LA isn’t going to make him a workhorse given his history. Edwards can deliver in short yardage and is the type of back you can pencil is as a midrange RB3 and feel pretty good about it. Beyond that, whoever wins the No. 3 job (likely Vidal) is worth adding to watch lists in case they move up the depth chart. Aggressive gamers should target Vidal in deeper leagues and as a best-ball flier.