Welcome to the 2016 NFL Preview. Every weekday from now until opening night, we will preview the 2016 NFL Season. This week’s remaining schedule: Dallas (Thursday), Jacksonville (Friday).
December 20, 2015. The Chargers, in the midst of a lost season, crushed Miami 30 to 14 in front of a packed house in San Diego. After the game, the Chargers stayed on the field and partied with fans who did not want to let go. This was to be the final game in San Diego before the Chargers returned to their roots in Los Angeles. That’s what was supposed to happen.
What transpired instead was the Chargers and the city received a one year reprieve. The Chargers have until January of 2017 to accept or reject an offer to join the Rams and relocate to Los Angeles. This sets up a very interesting season for the Bolts. In addition to voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton for president on Election Day, the residents of San Diego will be voting on public funding for a new stadium. It needs to pass with a 2/3 vote, so it’s an uphill battle.
While the results on the field will have little or no bearing on the vote, the vote will likely have bearing on the second half of the season. A no vote relegates the Chargers to lame duck status as a move to Los Angeles will all but be announced the next day. Here is the Chargers schedule post-Election Day.
Vs Miami. Fitting that the same team that almost closed the city last year is the first team in after the vote
@ Houston
Tampa Bay
At Carolina
Oakland
At Cleveland
Kansas City
With the exception of the trip to Charlotte, the rest of those games are winnable games for the Chargers. Will they be rejuvenated after learning that they are staying? Or will they be deflated with no fan support after the resolution gets shot down? That fact alone makes the Chargers the hardest team to predict in the upcoming season.
Rookies can still holdout? They can, and the Chargers are in the midst of one right now. #3 overall pick Joey Bosa is one of four rookies yet to sign their contract yet. The money has been agreed upon, but the sticking point is offset language. Bosa wants the ability to double dip if he’s cut. The Chargers want to be able to recoup some money if he is a bust. A classic standoff that you rarely see anymore. Camp opens in four days, and this holdout could get dicey if it drags on much longer.
How much can Phil Rivers do by himself? We learned last year, not enough. Rivers threw for 4,792 yards and 29 touchdowns last year, but the Chargers were 4-12. Their leading rusher had 641 yards. Their leading receiver had 755 yards. You read that right. The Chargers had almost 5,000 receiving yards in 2015, and nobody had more than 755. Rivers spread it around, and the Chargers were crushed by injuries in the passing game. Keenen Allen missed half the season and Malcolm Floyd did not fill those shoes. Ladarius Green left for greener pastures in Pittsburgh.
Melvin Gordon is still the running back after a subpar (at best) rookie season. He’s also coming off of micro fracture surgery on his knee. So he can’t be counted upon for much. Brandon Oliver has shown glimpses, but he is third on the depth chart. Danny Woodhead will likely continue to be a major part of the offense, just because there’s nobody competent in the backfield. Travis Benjamin was brought in to be the speedster, but he has to do a lot to justify the 4 year, 24 million dollar contract he received.
Fantasy Focus: Now we’re getting somewhere. Unlike the first two teams reviewed, there is plenty of fantasy goodness in sunny San Diego. Philip Rivers is criminally undervalued. The Chargers can’t run the ball and are a poor defensive team. That means a lot of air time for Rivers. He’s also durable, having made 160 consecutive starts. You can get him late, but still count on plenty of production out of the QB position. I want no part of Gordon, but you can make a case for Danny Woodhead as your RB 2 if you are in a PPR league. Which you should be, it’s 2016. Woodhead caught 80 passes on 106 targets in 2015. Those are monster numbers in a position that is becoming very thin. Health is the only thing holding back a full endorsement of Keenan Allen. He is a terrific receiver if he can stay on the field. I like him as my # 2, but he’s a hard sell as my top WR due to his durability. Antonio Gates continues to produce even though we’re ready to write him off every year. He’s a perfectly solid selection if you wait to pick a TE.
Prediction: Now we come full circle. I hope this prediction is wrong, but I don’t see the stadium bill passing. The Chargers can and should get off to a hot start, but being a lame duck for the second half of the season will just bring it all to a halt. Final record: 7-9