Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers fell to the San Francisco 49ers 22-16 on Sunday night at Levi's Stadium and fell to 5-4 on the season.

L.A.'s offense was subpar in the loss as quarterback Justin Herbert completed 21-of-35 passes for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception. That said, Herbert didn't have much to work with as the Chargers have been decimated by injuries at wide receiver.

Both of the team's top two wideouts—Keenan Allen and Mike Williams—missed Sunday's game due to injury. That left Herbert with DeAndre Carter, who caught four passes for 64 yards and one touchdown, and Josh Palmer, who caught three passes for 44 yards, as the top wide receivers.

Running back Austin Ekeler rushed for 24 yards on six carries and also caught seven passes for 39 yards.

Even though the Herbert didn't have his top two targets available against San Francisco, NFL Twitter still criticized the L.A. offense for a disappointing outing, particularly in the second half:

The Chargers desperately need Allen and Williams to return as the offense looks anemic without them. The team is having a lot of trouble moving the ball downfield, and that will only continue if it doesn't figure something out.

L.A. has a tough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend at SoFi Stadium. A loss agains KC would drop the Chargers to 5-5.

The Los Angeles Chargers offense has struggled this season, with injuries to receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams playing a big part in that.

What should fantasy managers do with Allen and Williams ahead their fantasy football trade deadline?

The answer depends on how your team is doing.

Allen has appeared in just two games this season amid hamstring issues and has been ruled out for Week 10. Williams is also out for Week 10 and was expected to miss at least four weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 7.

If your fantasy team is struggling for a playoff spot, neither of these players should be trusted.

Either could technically return in Week 11, but the fact that neither practiced this week suggests it could be multiple weeks before we see them on the field.

Managers should be shopping them around for receivers that can provide immediate help, even if they don't have as much upside. Jerry Jeudy, Jakobi Meyers and Adam Thielen could be reasonable targets.

If you can't sell Williams or Allen, targeting Joshua Palmer or even DeAndre Carter off waivers or in a trade could be a good move. These players can help fill your starting lineup in the short term as Justin Herbert's top targets until the starters return.

It also provides insurance in case Williams or Allen remain unavailable for an extended stretch.

There should be a different perspective for teams at the top of the standings in fantasy.

Williams comes with risk, but he can carry your fantasy team for a week when he's at his best. The wideout had either 100 yards or a touchdown in five of seven games this year, reaching at least seven catches four times.

Though he has a low floor, Williams' ceiling is as high as nearly anyone else's in fantasy.

Allen is even better when healthy in point-per-reception leagues, catching at least 97 passes in each of the last five seasons. Outside of Cooper Kupp, he's as safe a bet for double-digit fantasy points as there is in the NFL.

Now is the chance to get a high-end WR2 from a frustrated and desperate fantasy manager.

You will take a hit for the next few weeks, but it could make your team even more dangerous for the stretch run as you try to win a championship.

The NFL is kicking the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals out of primetime later this month and replacing them with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.

The league announced it will be moving the Nov. 20 game between the Chiefs and Chargers into Sunday Night Football while sliding Steelers vs. Bengals into the 4:25 p.m. ET window.

Since 2006, the NFL has reserved the right to flex games into primetime, though Fox and CBS can "protect" certain games. The league can flex games twice between Weeks 5-10 and then at any point it deems fit in Weeks 11-17. There is no Sunday night game in Week 18.

Disappointed Bengals fans can send their ire to Pittsburgh's moribund offense, which likely played a huge part in the NFL's decision. The Steelers are a disappointing 2-6 and have not scored more than 23 points in a game all season.

Meanwhile, the Chargers and Chiefs sit atop the AFC West and would be playoff teams if the season ended today. The NFL is not going to pass up many opportunities to put a Patrick Mahomes vs. Justin Herbert game on the largest possible stage.

The scheduling change will put the Chargers in primetime in back-to-back weeks, as they play this Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers.

Kansas City and Los Angeles played its first regular-season matchup on Thursday Night Football in Week 2. The Chiefs will now play at least six primetime games during their 2022 schedule.

The Los Angeles Chargers will be without star wide receiver Keenan Allen once again, as he has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons because of a hamstring injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Allen suffered a hamstring injury in the Chargers' season-opening win over the Las Vegas Raiders, which caused him to miss the team's next five games. He said on Oct. 20 that there was a chance he would remain sidelined through the team's Week 8 bye to be fully recovered when he returns.

However, he appeared in L.A.'s Week 7 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, catching two passes for 11 yards while playing just 32 percent of the team's offensive snaps.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of the last five years, Allen is Los Angeles' No. 1 option in the passing attack. He caught four passes for 66 yards before exiting in the first half against the Raiders.

The 30-year-old has managed to remain healthy in recent years. He missed eight games in 2015 with a kidney injury, and he suffered a torn ACL in the first game of the following season.

Upon his return in 2017, Allen established himself as one of the best receivers in the league and finished with a career-high 1,393 receiving yards to earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl. He has now topped 1,000 yards five times in his 10-year career, including four of the last five seasons.

The Chargers offense is already depleted after losing Pro Bowl offensive tackle Rashawn Slater for the season with a torn biceps.

While Allen is sidelined, Joshua Palmer, DeAndre Carter, Jason Moore Jr. and Michael Bandy figure to be Justin Herbert's top targets out wide until he returns. Mike Williams is also out with a high ankle sprain.

The Los Angeles Chargers expect to be without receiver Mike Williams for a "minimum of four weeks," according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

Williams suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He had 86 yards and a touchdown before he was helped off the field.

The Chargers have a bye in Week 8, but the latest timeline will cost the receiver at least three games, including the important Week 11 battle against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Williams has been a go-to option in the Chargers' passing attack this year, leading the team with 495 receiving yards to tie for 10th in the NFL. He topped 100 yards in three of his first five games of the season.

The 2017 first-round pick was building off his breakout 2022 season where he set a career high with 76 catches for 1,146 yards, adding nine touchdowns. It earned him a three-year, $60 million contract extension last offseason.

The latest injury means the Chargers will need more from Keenan Allen, who has played just two games this year while dealing with hamstring issues. The five-time Pro Bowler has only six catches so far after tallying at least 100 receptions in each of the last three years.

Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter will also see bigger roles, although Palmer missed Week 7 because of a concussion.

It puts pressure on quarterback Justin Herbert to carry the team after an up-and-down 4-3 start to 2022.

The Chargers simply can't catch a break, however, with key players like Joey Bosa, Rashawn Slater and J.C. Jackson also missing significant time due to injury.

The Los Angeles Chargers had their worst fears confirmed on Monday after head coach Brandon Staley announced that cornerback JC Jackson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Jackson suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Jackson suffered the injury late in the second quarter while trying to defend a touchdown pass caught by Seahawks rookie receiver Marquise Goodwin. His right leg was placed into an air cast before he was carted off the field.

The Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the New England Patriots. He was considered to be one of the prized free-agent acquisitions of 2022 after he led the league with 23 passes defended last season.

However, the 26-year-old got off to a slow start with Los Angeles after he missed two games earlier this year following ankle surgery in August. He finishes the season with 15 total tackles and two passes defended.

The injury to Jackson is the latest addition to a crushing season for the Chargers. In Week 3, star defensive end Joey Bosa suffered a groin injury and Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his biceps, and both are on injured reserve. All-Pro center Corey Linsley missed time with a knee injury and an illness. Kicker Dustin Hopkins is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Star receiver Keenan Allen hasn't played since Week 1 after injuring his hamstring. Wideout Mike Williams exited prematurely against the Seahawks with an ankle injury. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been playing through fractured rib cartilage for the past five weeks.

The Chargers are 4-3 heading into their Week 8 bye, so they're getting a much-needed break before trying to turn things around in the second half of the season.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday's 37-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The timeline for Williams' recovery is unclear, but Schefter said the 6'4" pass-catcher "will miss some time."

Williams had seven receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown in the loss to Seattle. Before the ankle injury, he was on pace to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards this season (37 catches, 495 yards and three touchdowns).

The 28-year-old has helped keep the Chargers offense afloat despite fellow wideout Keenan Allen being limited to two games.

Allen made his return from a hamstring injury against Seattle but played only 23 snaps. The five-time Pro Bowler has been the Chargers' most consistent receiver in recent years, but his hamstring problem raises questions about how much he can shoulder the increased load created by Williams' absence.

Los Angeles' 19-16 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 6 might have offered a glimpse into the near future. With Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II blanketing Williams, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw for only 238 yards on 57 attempts. Josh Palmer was the team's leading receiver with 57 yards.

The Chargers entered 2022 with understandably high hopes, only to get hammered by injuries. Allen has missed significant time. Star pass-rusher Joey Bosa is still recuperating the his groin tear he suffered earlier this year. Left tackle Rashawn Slater might return later this year, but he remains out due to a ruptured biceps. Cornerback J.C. Jackson reportedly dislocated his kneecap Sunday.

With injuries mounting, it could be difficult for head coach Brandon Staley to keep the Chargers on track for a wild-card berth.

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback JC Jackson suffered a dislocated kneecap in Sunday's 37-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The team confirmed he was out for the remainder of the contest with a knee injury, and ESPN's Lindsey Thiry reported the team's trainers had placed an air cast on his right leg.

Following the game, head coach Brandon Staley described Jackson's injury as "significant." Rapoport reported Jackson is due to get an MRI on Monday.

In the second quarter, the 2021 Pro Bowler leapt to make a play on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Goodwin. His right knee appeared to give out as he was attempting to jump.

The Chargers took full advantage of Justin Herbert's rookie deal to fortify their defense in the offseason. They signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract and also added Khalil Mack, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson.

Those moves haven't had their intended impact so far. Entering Sunday, Los Angeles was 17th in yards allowed (349.8 per game) and 14th in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders.

Now, the team will have to proceed without Jackson in the secondary. Based on how serious his injury looked, his availability for the remainder of the year could be in doubt.

Michael Davis started 40 games for the Chargers between 2019-21, so he has plenty of experience as he takes over for Jackson. That won't provide much reassurance, though, considering his performance warranted making a splashy signing at the cornerback position in the spring.

If Brandon Staley is out as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2022 season, the franchise could land one of the best coaches in football as his replacement.

A longtime NFL personnel executive told Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that he believes former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton "really wants" to coach Justin Herbert and the Chargers:

“[Dean] Spanos doesn’t like to pay his coaches, but once your quarterback starts making $50 million a year, you’re really going to be cheap about your head coach? Sean loves living in Southern California. You’ve got Herbert and some other blue chip players. That’s the fit.”

Payton, who is working for Fox Sports this season after stepping down as head coach of the Saints in January, said during an appearance on the NewOrleans.Football podcast last month that he would be open to returning to an NFL sideline if the "right situation presented itself."

Payton said, via ESPN:

"If the right situation presented itself, I would definitely be interested. And there's no utopia, if you will, when it comes to teams, but if I felt like it was the right situation, I would have an interest in that. That all being said, that could come in a year, that could come in two years."

When asked what he would be looking for in a franchise to coach, Payton said that "the most important element is functional ownership [and] front office." He added that the "opportunity to win consistently and the willingness to build the correct culture" would also factor into his decision.

Payton, who coached in New Orleans for 15 seasons, has two years remaining on his contract with the Saints after the 2022 season. If he were to return to coaching in 2023, New Orleans would need to be compensated.

Payton led the Saints to a 152-89 record from 2006-2021 and also led the team to seven NFC South division titles and nine playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl title in 2010. He also won Coach of the Year during the 2006 campaign.

The Chargers hired Staley to replace Anthony Lynn ahead of the 2021 campaign. He led the Bolts to a 9-8 record in his first season at the helm and they missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

This season, Staley and the Chargers are second in the AFC West with a 3-2 record. Depending on where they finish, Staley could be out after just two seasons because of his lack of success with a talented roster that includes Herbert, Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler and more.