Los Angeles

Chargers

Bosa was listed as limited for Wednesday’s practice but was then downgraded to a DNP on Thursday. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper noted that Bosa was working off to the side, not in uniform, for Friday’s practice. It sounds like the oft-injured defender is on the wrong side of questionable for Week 2, though his status is still up in the air. Even without Bosa, the Chargers should be able to contain Bryce Young, who is coming off a dreadful Week 1 versus the Saints. Cornerback Ja’sir Taylor is also listed as questionable.

Palmer was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before being listed as questionable on Friday, presumably after another limited session. Palmer was a mainstay in the Chargers’ receiver rotation last week before being ejected at the top of the fourth quarter. He would rank as a WR4 if active. Rookie Brenden Rice was a healthy scratch in Week 1 but could make the gameday roster if Palmer can’t suit up.

Palmer went through a similar routine in Week 1 before ultimately suiting up against the Raiders. We would expect Palmer to be out there vs. the Panthers, where he will be a low-upside WR4.

Slot CB Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) was also absent on Wednesday. The Chargers’ middling secondary cannot afford to lose two starters in one week, though the Panthers’ lackluster passing game is likely a manageable opponent even if the defense is short staffed.

Palmer was added to the Week 1 injury report on Thursday after being left off it entirely the day before. He still played through the issue with a full complement of snaps before being ejected at the start of the fourth quarter. His limited status today is likely just maintenance for a veteran wideout. Palmer should be good to go for his Week 2 matchup with the Panthers.

The entire offense struggled in the first half after managing just two first downs and going 0-for-7 on third down before the break. They would pick things up the second half but Palmer would eventually be ejected from the game following a skirmish on a two-point attempt to start the fourth quarter. Palmer should remain a top-two option through the air for the Chargers on a weekly basis, but he definitely played second fiddle to rookie Ladd McConkey in this one. It might be wise to look for other options if you’re counting on the veteran for weekly production.

Johnston ranked second on the team in both yardage and targets behind rookie Ladd McConkey. Even so, it isn’t enough for him to carry fantasy upside in an offense that lacks a vertical component, largely content to dink-and-dunk their way to sustained drives and increased time of possession. That’s particularly troubling considering the offense managed just two first downs in the first half and went 0-for-7 on third down before the break.

McConkey barely out-gained Quentin Johnston but the seven targets were meaningful for the rookie receiver. He salvaged his fantasy day with a 10-yard catch-and-run touchdown on a slant with just under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Expect McConkey to lead the team in targets in most weeks this season, although the relative lack of a vertical component in the passing offense could require even more volume to maintain weekly fantasy upside.

Edwards was handily outshone by backfield mate J.K. Dobbins, the latter of whom amassed 139 combined yards and a score on 13 touches. Either way, Dobbins is unlikely to command a heavier weekly workload at this stage in his career, meaning Edwards should remain in a tight timeshare moving forward. Edwards’ per-touch upside significantly lags that of Dobbins and he should be largely left on the wire for the time being.

Dobbins had a quiet first half before exploding in the second, first scoring a touchdown from 12 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter before a 61-yard run later in the game. He was chased down from behind on the long run, clearly lacking the top-end speed he once showed while playing with the Ravens. Even so, he displayed elite patience and vision to bounce the run off tackle after his A-gap hole collapsed, beating the linebackers and safeties to the edge. Dobbins should continue in a strict timeshare with fellow offseason addition Gus Edwards, but he brings more upside to the table on a weekly basis than his teammate. He probably shouldn’t be on waivers if he happens to be in your league.