Ladd McConkey is back in the injury spotlight as the Chargers get ready for their Week 5 meeting with the Broncos, and this one has a familiar uneasy feel around it.
The Los Angeles wideout tried to push through last week, but that effort came with another setback, leaving him among the names on the final injury report this week alongside Joe Alt. Through it all, McConkey remains one of the most closely watched health questions heading into kickoff.
Even with the issues piling up, McConkey has still managed to produce when he’s on the field. Through four games, he ranks second on the Chargers in receiving with 12 catches for 183 yards and one touchdown. That kind of output only sharpens the frustration, because he’s now dealt with at least three different injuries while trying to stay available.
From a fantasy football angle, the situation has been just as rough. McConkey has remained a difficult player to trust, even after coming into the year with what was expected to be strong draft-day value. Instead, the Chargers’ offense with Justin Herbert has fallen far short of that billing.
If McConkey can’t go, the pressure shifts elsewhere. The Chargers will be hoping Quentin Johnston is healthy enough to play, while Tre Harris may need to keep growing quickly and possibly handle a bigger role as a No. 1 option in Mike McDaniel’s offense.
But against an AFC West opponent like Denver, and with the way Los Angeles has looked so far, expectations for the whole passing game have to stay pretty low. Without McConkey on the field to force defenses to account for him, the depth chart loses even more of its punch.
In Other News...
Broncos Starter Hit With Another Fine And Fans Will Have Opinions
Quinn Meinerz keeps finding himself on the league offices radar, and this latest issue has nothing to do with what he does between the lines. After already getting dinged earlier this season for his dice-rolling touchdown celebration, the Broncos guard has drawn another punishment, this time tied to a social media video that crossed a line with NFL policy.
The situation has an extra layer because the post centered on the drug-test collection process, a subject the league treats seriously even when a player may not have meant any harm. Meinerz is appealing the fine, so this one is not necessarily finished yet, and it adds another small off-field distraction for a Broncos team that is trying to keep its focus on the field after its Week 3 win over the Rams. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Can Exploit A Chargers Weakness That Could Swing This Game
The Broncos head into their matchup with the Chargers looking for a place to press an edge in what figures to be a tight division game, and the middle of the field may offer it. Los Angeles has had to sort through protection issues up front, with guard Oday Aboushi struggling, while Asante Samuel Jr. remains the kind of versatile defender who can complicate easy throws. Even so, Denvers defense will be alert to the Chargers tight-end usage, especially with Jared Gadsden emerging as a meaningful piece in the passing game despite a still-unclear role.
From Denvers side, the more intriguing opportunity may come when the Broncos have the ball and test where the Chargers are least settled defensively. Injuries have thinned that group enough to make linebacker Justin Phillips a potential coverage target, and that sort of matchup can tilt a game if Denver isolates it well. Whether the Broncos lean on RJ Harvey, Evan Engram or another option, this is the kind of wrinkle that could decide which sideline is left looking for answers late. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Carries An Uncomfortable History Into Chargers Showdown
Sean Payton gets another crack at Jim Harbaugh this week when the Broncos line up against the Chargers, and it comes with a little extra edge because of how the matchup has gone in the past. Harbaugh has had the better of their coaching duels overall, and even with both teams falling short of the expectations that followed them into the season, this one still carries the feel of a measuring stick game between two staffs trying to steady their teams.
For Denver, the interest goes beyond the sideline chess match. The Broncos have leaned most heavily on a defense that has been the most dependable part of the roster, which only adds to the pressure on Payton to find answers on offense against a familiar opponent. It is the kind of game that can say a lot about where a team is headed, even before the final score tells the rest of the story. [Read more 🡒]