Team news: Los Angeles Chargers | Page 1

The Chargers ruled out WR Keenan Allen for Thursday night vs. the Raiders. A key weapon missing for new starting QB Easton Stick.

Related Players: Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston

The Chargers offense is shaping up to be a full fade outside of Austin Ekeler. Joshua Palmer can be considered for FLEX spots, but this is also his first game action since Week 8.

Chargers WR Keenan Allen (heel) missed his second straight practice on the team’s estimated report.

Related players: Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Jalen Guyton

LA plays on Thursday night against the Raiders. With Justin Herbert out, and Easton Stick in at QB, things could get ugly for the Chargers on offense in Week 15. Palmer is off the IR and could very well serve as the team's WR1 with Johnston and Guyton also in the mix. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, the Chargers really don't have a reason to rush Allen back on the field at this point.

Justin Herbert has played his last snap of the 2023 season.

The Chargers quarterback is out for the season following surgery to repair his fractured index finger on his throwing hand, according to multiple reports.

Related players: Easton Stick

Herbert suffered the injury during the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. The story went on to say head coach Brandon Staley noted on Monday that the team would do what’s best for Herbert and the quarterback’s future. With the Chargers at 5-8 and having little chance to make it to the postseason, it’s clear shutting Herbert down is the right move. It's now Stick season for the Chargers going forward.

Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert is very likely to undergo surgery Tuesday on his fractured right index finger, per source.

Whether Herbert will have any chance to able to return this season will be determined by the surgery, Schefter added. Reports said Herbert would do anything he could to get back on the field this season, but from the Chargers standpoint - sitting at 5-8 on the season - there isn't much need to rush Herbert back.

Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert is not expected to play Thursday night vs the Raiders due to his fractured right index finger.

Related players: Easton Stick

The post went on to say Herbert will be consulting with Dr. Steven Shin to determine the extent of the injury and how much time he will miss, per source. It's quite possible this injury could end Herbert's season, but reports have said Herbert will do anything he can to get back on the field. Owners won't have him on a short week to likely open their playoff schedule however, so a backup plan will be needed. In a pinch, Stick will at least have a talented group of weapons around him, but should probably only be in lineups in deeper leagues, especially if this is a postseason game.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will have an MRI Monday on his fractured finger to determine how much time he will miss and perhaps if he'll even return this season. The Chargers' playoff hopes took a big hit with their 24-7 loss to the Broncos, dropping L.A. to 5-8 and two games behind the six-team cluster in the AFC wild card race. The Chargers have a short week coming as they visit the Raiders on Thursday. Easton Stick took over when Herbert left.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert left Sunday's game against the Broncos with a finger injury.

Easton Stick is now in at quarterback as the Chargers have been putting up a donut at home. It truly is amazing how many quarterbacks have gone down this season. For Herbert, it's the second time dealing with an injured finger. He suffered a broken finger in Week 6 but didn't miss any time. It's been that kind of year for the Chargers. Before leaving, Herbert was 9 of 17 for 96 yards with an interception.

Coach Brandon Staley, who has previously been firm that Austin Ekeler is the Chargers' top running back despite their rushing struggles, hinted that changes could be coming to the Los Angeles backfield.

"Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening," Staley said Wednesday. "We're going to keep exploring, making adjustments, so that we can find that rhythm that I've been talking about. That's certainly one way to do it."

Related Players: Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

Ekeler has been very inefficient since returning from injury, never topping 70 yards on the ground in the last eight games, and routinely finishing with less than 3.5 yards per carry. The Chargers still have an outside shot at a playoff berth, so a change makes sense.

Ekeler should still be started in fantasy leagues, but a lighter workload should push him out of high-end RB1 considerations.

The Chargers are opening WR Joshua Palmer’s 21-day practice window. Some help on the way in the coming weeks for L.A.’s offense.

Related Players: Quentin Johnston, Jalen Guyton

Surprisingly, this could be a huge boost for the Chargers offense. The receiving group has not looked great, and Palmer was able to string together some really good performances before going down with his knee injury, including a 16-336-1 statline between Weeks 3-7. He should be rostered as a potential FLEX play if he is able to return during the fantasy playoffs.

Coach Brandon Staley said Monday that X-rays on Quentin Johnston's ribs were returned negative, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Johnston didn't return to the field in the third quarter. Afterward, coach Brandon Staley told Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times that "it wasn't that [Johnston] couldn't go back in the game. We just didn't feel like... it was the right thing to go back in the game," according to the story. The story also said there's an expectation that Johnston will take part in practice this week.