The Chargers are 2-0 for the first time since 2012. Expectations are now growing in Los Angeles in Jim Harbaugh’s first season.
After the Week 2 win over the Panthers, there is room for optimism that this early success can be sustainable.
Check out who is trending up and down for the Chargers through two weeks.
Stock up: Offensive line
Once again, the offensive line was dominant in the team’s Week 2 victory. It’s still early, but it looks like the Chargers could have one of the best offensive tackle duos in the NFL. In fact, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater were PFF’s two highest graded tackles in Week 2. Zion Johnson put in a stellar performance in the victory as well. This unit is shaping up to be a real strength of this team, which is a staple of Jim Harbaugh-led teams.
Stock down: Justin Herbert
This one may be slightly unfair, but he hasn’t put up those elite numbers we’re accustomed to. That’s been due to many reasons, most of which weren’t his fault. Herbert got injured again on Sunday, which will be something to monitor as the week progresses. He’s thrown for just 274 yards in two games with three touchdowns and one interception. When the Chargers face the high-octane Chiefs in Week 4, they may need more of the vintage Herbert if they are going to pull off that upset.
Stock up: Kristian Fulton
Similar to the offensive line, this could be the entire defensive back room. In particular, though, Fulton has been ultra-impressive through two games. Of the qualified cornerbacks thus far, Fulton has allowed the least yards per snap across the NFL. Harbaugh sang his praises earlier in the week, as the 2020 second-rounder seems to be finding his groove in his first season in Los Angeles.
Stock down: Joshua Palmer
This season, Palmer was expected to be the team’s top weapon in the passing game. Through two games, that doesn’t appear to be the case. In Week 2, he finished with just four catches on six targets for 34 yards. We haven’t seen the big play ability we typically get from him, which is somewhat due to the offensive play style. Still, it’s been an underwhelming start to the season for the fourth-year wideout.
Stock down: Gus Edwards
Edwards hasn’t necessarily been bad for the Chargers. In Week 2, he still saw more carries, albeit just one more, than J.K. Dobbins. However, with how Dobbins is running the ball, that may not last long. After 13 touchdowns in 2023, Edwards has not found the end zone this season. Even more concerning, he’s averaged just 2.9 yards per carry across 29 tries.
