- The San Diego Chargers started the 2009 season looking to get back to the playoffs again
- San Diego got off to a slow start last season just like in previous years, the team lost 3 of its first 5 games
- Then the Chargers got hot, the definition of hot actually, reeling off 11 straight victories and reaching the playoffs only to lose their first game to the Jets
- The team scored 454 points and allowed 320 points against
San Diego Chargers
AFC West
Players
2010 Schedule
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Week 1
SD @ KC
09/13/10
10:15 pm
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Week 2
JAC @ SD
09/19/10
4:15 pm
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Week 3
SD @ SEA
09/26/10
4:15 pm
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Week 4
ARI @ SD
10/03/10
4:15 pm
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Week 5
SD @ OAK
10/10/10
4:15 pm
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Week 6
SD @ STL
10/17/10
1:00 pm
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Week 7
NE @ SD
10/24/10
4:15 pm
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Week 8
TEN @ SD
10/31/10
4:00 pm
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Week 9
SD @ HOU
11/07/10
1:00 pm
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Week 10
bye
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Week 11
DEN @ SD
11/22/10
8:30 pm
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Week 12
SD @ IND
11/28/10
8:15 pm
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Week 13
OAK @ SD
12/05/10
4:00 pm
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Week 14
KC @ SD
12/12/10
4:15 pm
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Week 15
SF @ SD
12/16/10
8:15 pm
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Week 16
SD @ CIN
12/26/10
8:15 pm
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Week 17
SD @ DEN
01/02/11
4:15 pm
Offensive Depth Chart
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Quarterback
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Running Back
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Wide Receiver
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Tight End
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Kicker
2009
By Air
- Phillip Rivers is continuing to develop as a QB and as a fantasy dynamo, he should continue his progression no matter who he is throwing to
- The Chargers finished last season ranking 5th in the league with 4,338 passing yards
- The Bolts will be looking to replace Vincent Jackson early in the season due to his suspension, he could also be trade depending on his contract dispute
- Malcolm Floyd, Buster Davis, and Legedu Naanee will provide the depth at WR
- Antonio Gates continues to be one of the top tight ends in the league
- The RBs for San Diego are also very effective receivers out of the backfield especially the lightning bolt himself Darren Sproles
By Land
- The Chargers finished last season ranking 31st in the league with 1,423 rushing yards
- With the departure of long time franchise cornerstone LT the Chargers will have a new face at running back
- Darren Sproles stays with the team but his lack of size and strength will not allow him to be an every down back. Sproles will serve a similar role that he did last season, being used as a third down back and as a home run threat
- Ryan Matthews was drafted from Fresno State and figures to be the workhorse back in the mold of LT
QB
- Phillip Rivers will look to lead his team through the regular season as he has done in past season but also get over the playoff hump
- In 2009 Rivers completed 317 of 486 attempts for 4,254 yards. He threw 28 touchdowns to 9 interceptions while compiling a 104.4 passer rating and a league leading 8.74 yards per attempt
- Billy Volek will serve as the teams back-up, he is an experienced reserve
RB
- Darren Sproles rushed for 343 yards on 93 carries and scored 3 TDs. He also caught 45 passes for 497 yards and scored 4 touchdowns on the season
- In his final season at Fresno State Ryan Matthews rushed for 1,808 yards on 276 attempts. Along with his 6.6 yards per carry average he scored 19 times
- Mike Tolbert and Jacob Hester could be see some time in lone back sets
WR
- The Chargers have a group of wide receivers that are explosive and flat out known for their big play ability
- Vincent Jackson led the team with 1,167 yards on 68 catches and scored 9 TDs
- Malcolm Floyd caught 45 passes for 776 yards and scored 1 TD
- Naanee grabbed 24 passes for 242 yards and scored 2 TDs
TE
- Last season Antonio Gates was flat out great, catching 79 passes for 1,157 and 8 TDs
- Behind Gates there are unproven players in Kris Wilson and Derrick Epps
Kicker
- Nate Kaeding was the best kicker in the league last season making 32 of 35 field goals for a 91.4 percentage. He also made 50 of his 51 extra points
Chargers Defense
- Stephen Cooper led the team with 102 tackles, Eric Weddle had 82
- The Chargers had 35 sacks last season
- Leading sacker was Shaun Phillips with 7.0
- How can the Chargers continue to improve in 2010 and take the next step
- Quentin Jammer led the team with 3 INTs
- Team forced 19 fumbles
- Team forced a total of 33 turnovers
Offensive Line
Analysis: This line was given all sorts of accolades following some spectacular years by LaDanian Tomlinson. They showed last year that they could make some holes regardless of who was running behind them. They are replacing Mike Goff with Kynan Forney. Goff hasn’t played in a Pro Bowl, but he has started 16 games for 5 years in a row at ORG for San Diego. He is definitely a significant loss. Clary and McNeill will be playing for a contract and McNeill has a ton of talent. Look for him to have a big year. This is a good line that can run block and pass protect.
Offensive Scheme
Analysis: Norv Turner and Clarence Shelmon figured out a way to rank 25th in pass attempts, 7th in passing yards, and 1st in Passing TD’s. This is a pretty remarkable stat. They were very efficient in their pass attack. This trend is unlikely to continue. If San Diego struggles to stay in games this year, watch for a pass heavy attack. With an adequate pass attack, Norv has shown that he’s not afraid to go to the air. Alternatively, if Rivers gets hurt, and Norv can find success on the ground, he will POUND his RB’s into the ground. Norv calls the plays for the Chargers and has been a Head Coach or an Offensive Coordinator in the NFL for 18 straight years.
Major Off-Season Moves
July 13, 2010
Announced the NFL has suspended WR Vincent Jackson for the first three games of the 2010 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
July 9, 2010
Agreed to terms with LB Donald Butler and DT Cam Thomas on four-year contracts.
June 21, 2010
Released S Kevin Ellison, DT Ian Scott, FB Cory Jackson and WR Jordyn Jackson.
June 11, 2010
Signed WR Josh Reed to a one-year contract.
June 3, 2010
Signed QB Jonathan Crompton to a four-year contract and TE Randy McMichael to a one-year contract.
May 26, 2010
Signed DE Travis Johnson to a one-year contract tender.
May 17, 2010
Signed LB Boris Lee and LB Mike Nixon to two-year contracts.
April 27, 2010
Agreed to terms with WR Seyi Ajirotutu, OT Brady Bond, TE Richard Brockel, TE Dajleon Farr, WR Richard Goodman, C-G Jeff Hansen, FB Cory Jackson, WR Jordyn Jackson, OT Justin Jeffries, P Cort Johnson, LB Brandon Lang, RB Shawnbrey McNeal, OT Ryan Otterson, OT Stephan Richmond, CB Traye Simmons, WR Ernest Smith, WR Marcel Thompson, WR Bryan Walters, WR Jeremy Williams and LB Kion Wilson.
April 3, 2010
Signed RB-KR Darren Sproles to a one-year contract tender.
March 30, 2010
Signed CB Nathan Vasher to a two-year contract.
March 17, 2010
Agreed to terms with DL Ian Scott on a one-year contract.
March 8, 2010
Claimed RB Marcus Mason off waivers from Washington.
February 23, 2010
Released RB LaDainian Tomlinson.
Strength of Schedule
We are firm believers that strength-of-schedule analysis is essential when ranking players at every position. We applied this system (without the 5% NFL draft impact) in hindsight to last year's schedule as we were curious how well it could work. The notable results were that Michael Turner and the Falcons had a #32 ranked (easiest) rush schedule last season and DeAngelo Williams and the Panthers were #30.
Our SoS considers three factors when determining rankings for schedules for the upcoming year:
80% weight is applied to the quality of defense from the previous year. We determine quality of defense based on fantasy points given up (run and pass). However, before we get to that number, we factor in the quality of teams that these defenses faced (basically a strength-of-schedule for the previous year). This was all done by hand. Let's just say our boy, Stitchface, has a bit of the carpal tunnel-syndrome going on.
15% weight is applied to Free-Agent movement. We ranked each free agent's impact to their former team (2008), and then ranked each team according to whether they added or lost talent overall.
5% weight is applied to the NFL draft impact. It's tough to gauge a rookie's effectiveness which is why we valued it so low. Certain teams not only drafted defensemen well in '09, but also will be sliding those guys into highly deficient positions from '08, and usually, anything is an upgrade when you are starting a rookie.
If you trust Stitchface's formula (and you will eventually), all you need to realize is the following... The higher the SoS number, the easier the fantasy schedule.
Ranking: 1=toughest 32=easiest
Breaking News
@FantasyLion Hey, which 2 guys were you doing the video profiles for again? Rivers and ??? expand +
Pro Bowl: Rivers replaced by Vince Young expand +
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers pulled himself out of the NFL Pro Bowl due to his wife having a baby. He was replaced on the AFC roster by Titans QB Vince Young.
Pyro's Take:
No argument here. What Young did for the Titans once he replaced Kerry Collins was nothing short of Pro Bowl-worthy. After starting off 0-6, Young was finally inserted into the starting lineup and led the team to an 8-2 record down the stretch while just barely missing the playoffs. If there's anything that can be said about Vinsanity, it's that he's a winner, plain and simple.
VJax goes for 111 yards, none against Revis expand +
Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson caught 7 balls on 9 targets for 111 yards against the Jets on Sunday afternoon, though not one of them came against runner-up defensive player of the year, Darrelle Revis.
Pyro's Take:
It was said that Revis would be shadowing the Bolts big VJ the whole game, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Our guess is that Rex Ryan used the media to create a little bit of misdirection in the San Diego game plan, and shocker, it worked! Oh Norv, your true colors have shown through once again.
Vincent Jackson feeling much improved today expand +
Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (Achilles) ran at practice on Wednesday without any restrictions and had this to say when asked about his ailing Achilles:
“Definitely an improvement,” Jackson said. “I’m feeling good this week. I’m going to continue to work to being as close to 100 percent as possible on Sunday.”
Pyro's Take:
The Chargers are going to need him to be at 110 percent if he's going to be effective against Jets CB Darrelle Revis. His size will definitely help, but don't expect much out of him with with the human Body Bag guarding him on Sunday.
Revis will be covering Vincent Jackson expand +
The Jets will be traveling to the left coast this Sunday and be putting their shutdown corner, Darrelle Revis, on Vincent Jackson according to the New York Daily News.
Pyro's Take:
Duh. We're only posting this to let you know that Malcom Floyd is a better start than Vincent Jackson if you are doing a playoff league. The Jets also plan to put dedicate extra help to shutting down Gates with S Kerry Rhodes. This game has a ton of intrigue.
Vincent Jackson will play on Sunday expand +
Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (ribs) practiced in full again on Friday and is being listed as questionable on the team's Week 12 injury report. He is expected to start as usual on Sunday.
Pyro's Take:
Get the big receiver in your fantasy football lineup immediately as he'll likely be putting up some nice WR1 numbers this week against a porous Chiefs pass D.
Vincent Jackson returns to practice expand +
Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (ribs) returned to a full practice on Thursday.
Pyro's Take:
VJ missed practice on Wednesday to make sure he could be at full speed this weekend. He's fine, and as usual, is a must-start on your fantasy football squad this weekend.
Sproles won't be used in short-yardage anymore expand +
According to Chargers coach Norv Turner, running back Darren Sproles will likely not be seen in short-yardage situations anymore as Turner acknowledged that Sproles is “not going to move the pile.”
Pyro's Take:
LT and the two big fullbacks, Jacob Hester and Michael Tolbert, will assume those duties from here on out.
Sproles has been a disappointment from a fantasy football perspective this year as it was thought his role in the offense would increase, but hasn't done so enough to make a difference.
Gates practices Thursday and ready to go expand +
After taking his normal day off on Wednesday, Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (foot) put in a full practice on Thursday and is ready to take on the Broncos this weekend.
Pyro's Take:
Gates is a must-start on your fantasy football team as he is in the midst of one of his best seasons as a pro.
Gates says he's completely healthy now expand +
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who is on pace for a career high in yards and second-most in receptions, attributes his resurgence to being completely healthy.
“My approach is just to maintain feeling great,” Gates said. “It's being healthy. I haven't been able to do things in the past I can now. It's the confidence of being able to run without having to worry somebody is going to fall on my ankle.”
Pyro's Take:
Gates hasn't gone under 49 yards in a game yet this year and had less than 5 catches in a game just once. He is obviously a must-start every week on your fantasy football team regardless of the match-up.
Gates held out of practice on Wednesday expand +
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (foot) sat out practice today as he usually does on Wednesdays.
Pyro's Take:
Gates will play on Sunday and is always a must-start on your fantasy football team no matter what the match-up is.
Antonio Gates had a full practice on Friday expand +
The big man appears to be good to go this weekend as the 'Bolts host the Eagles.
Pyro's Take:
Crank Gates up, he could have a big day. The Eagles have been vulnerable this year against opposing TEs.
Gates not at practice as usual on Wednesday expand +
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates took the day off on Wednesday as usual to nurse a foot injury. He is fully expected to play this weekend.
Pyro's Take:
Gates normally takes the day off on Wednesday, so no big deal here. He should never be on your fantasy football bench, especially this week against an Eagles team that has been giving it up to tight ends all year.
Gates practices, listed as probable for Sunday expand +
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (foot) went through a full practice on Friday and is listed as probable on the team's injury report.
Pyro's Take:
Gates is expected to play and as always is a must-start on your fantasy football team regardless of the opponent.
WR Malcom Floyd moves into starting slot expand +
The San Diego Chargers announced today that they have released veteran wide receiver Chris Chambers. WR Malcom Floyd will slide into the starting lineup with the move.
Pyro's Take:
The writing had been on the wall for this one since the end of last season. Malcom had been talked about taking Chambers' spot for awhile now, and it looks like the talk is finally a reality. If you're searching for a WR3 for your fantasy football team, Floyd could be your guy.
