Chargers

Def/Spec Team

Bosa missed San Diego’s Week 1 loss at Kansas City and is now questionable at best for the Chargers’ Week 2 matchup against Jacksonville. After coughing up 363 passing yards to Alex Smith in Week 1, the Chargers D/ST will be well off the fantasy radar this week.

San Diego’s pass defense is 27th among NFL teams, allowing 289.5 yards per game through four weeks, and will certainly be worse without the services of Verrett. The Chargers D/ST has allowed a 300+ yard passer in three of four games this season and will not be a viable fantasy option in Week 5 on the road at Oakland.

San Diego’s recent defensive surge includes six turnovers and three defensive touchdowns in their last two games. Miami will visit San Diego in Week 10, bringing a revamped rushing attack led by RB Jay Ajayi. Despite the encouraging fantasy output in recent weeks, the Chargers D/ST will be a mid-tier fantasy option against Miami, as the Dolphins have been an extremely tough matchup for fantasy defenses over the last month.

The Chargers topped the Broncos 21-13 in Week 6, racking up two sacks and two turnovers along the way. San Diego is 2-6 against Denver under coach Mike McCoy and could creep back to .500 with another victory. Led by rookie star DE Joey Bosa, the Chargers D/ST is trending in the right direction but is a mid-tier fantasy option in Week 8 on the road.

San Diego is tied for the NFL-lead in turnovers over the last five weeks, which includes the Chargers’ bye. While the Chargers D/ST has recorded just three sacks in that same span, the turnover binge has made the unit a top-five fantasy performer in three of San Diego’s last four games. The Chargers D/ST is worth a start again in Week 13 at home against Tampa Bay.

The Chargers are tied for the NFL-lead in turnovers, forcing 25 on the season including three or more in four different games. The significant turnover total has created just five top-10 fantasy performances for the Chargers D/ST in 2016, as San Diego is 29th among NFL defenses in points allowed at 26.7 points per game. The Chargers D/ST is a middle-tier fantasy option at home against Oakland in Week 15.

The 16 points from Seattle came courtesy of three Steven Hauschka field goals and a Tyler Lockett punt return. The San Diego defense was formidable in yardage statistics in 2014 but struggled to record enough sacks and turnovers to be a weekly fantasy option. The Chargers are currently outside of the top-20 drafted fantasy D/ST units and begin the regular season with a tough Week 1 test against the Detroit Lions.

The Chargers have limited Matthew Stafford, Andy Dalton, and Teddy Bridgewater so far in 2015 and will face Cleveland’s Josh McCown this week. San Diego is also limiting opposing passers to just a 60 percent completion rate, a stat that bodes well with McCown and his 57.9 percent clip visiting Qualcomm Stadium this week. The Chargers are a nice streaming target and a borderline top-12 defense in Week 4.

Addae injured his ankle in San Diego’s Week 1 win against Detroit, leaving Wilson to play alongside free safety Eric Weddle on Sunday. Chargers coach Mike McCoy told the Union-Tribune San Diego, “I think it makes it easier when you’re playing back there with someone like Eric that is going to over-communicate everything.” The benefit of playing with Weddle should help Wilson as he steps in, but the Chargers secondary will be challenged by Andy Dalton’s top targets, A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert. The San Diego D/ST is not a recommended Week 2 start in fantasy leagues.

San Diego was 29th in the NFL with just 26 sacks in 2014, so an improved pass rush would go a long way in improving the Chargers fantasy D/ST unit. The Union-Tribune noted, “If the Chargers fail to muster a consistent or timely pass rush, a flaw that plagued them in 2014, they will place undue pressure on their defensive backs.” The Chargers D/ST is a mid-range Week 1 option against Detroit.