The Chargers roster is getting better, and an old friend returning to the team may end up being the X-factor for the offense in 2025.
NFL analaysts Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus just dropped a lengthy piece where they analyzed each of the 32 NFL rosters and highlighting such areas as strengths and weaknesses from the previous season, the team’s x-factor during the 2025 season, and a rookie to keep an eye on.
We’re going to go ahead and dive in to see what they had to say about the Chargers.
Chargers biggest strength from 2024: Justin Herbert
PFF’s analysis: “Herbert had a career season in his first year with head coach Jim Harbaugh, placing third among quarterbacks with a 90.2 PFF passing grade. He tied for the third-most big-time throws (33), and his 96.4 PFF passing grade on 10-plus-yard passes trailed only Lamar Jackson. Keep in mind that Herbert did all of that while dealing with a receiving corps that placed only 19th in PFF receiving grade.”
Our analysis: Justin Herbert or the defense are the only two answers for this one. Herbert’s career-low three interceptions during the regular season a year ago was a big reason the Chargers defense was able to play and stay fresh week-in and week-out. Within Greg Roman’s system, I don’t think Herbert will have much of a chance to
Chargers biggest weakness in 2024: Ground game
PFF’s analysis: “Los Angeles ended 2024 with the fourth-worst PFF rushing grade in the NFL (69.6) and tied for the seventh-lowest rushing-yards-per-attempt average (4.1). Our rookie to watch should help fix those issues, though.”
Our analysis: After watching the first two games of the season in which J.K. Dobbins rushed for a combined 266 yards, one would have been confident the Chargers were about to become one of the best rushing teams in all of football. That ended up being far from the case as the team’s rushing efficiency tanked against better teams further down the schedule. Dobbins also ended up missing four games and he would not surpass the 100-yard mark in a game again all season.
Chargers X-factor for 2025: WR Mike Williams
PFF’s analysis: “Williams is back with the Chargers after an uninspiring season with the Jets and Steelers, during which he earned a 59.6 PFF receiving grade. That was the first time he garnered a sub-70.0 PFF receiving grade since his rookie year in 2017. Now that he’s back in Los Angeles, he’ll look to revive his career and be a reliable No. 2 option behind Ladd McConkey.”
Our analysis: I believe you could pick a number of X-factors for the Chargers this upcoming season, and Williams would certainly be one of those as he returns to his former team now almost two years removed from a torn ACL that took away the majority of his last campaign in powder blue. Before collapsing on the turf inside U.S. Bank Stadium, Williams was actually on pace to set a new career high in receiving yards early on, aided by his seven catches for 121 yards he was in the middle of hanging on the Vikings.
Now back with the Bolts, albeit a little older, I don’t see why Williams couldn’t walk back in and be a very reliable No. 2 in the offense. He always hovered around 800-1,100 yards during his healthy seasons and already has the strong chemistry with Herbert. I know some people are expecting big things from second-round pick Tre Harris, but I also believe those same people have prematurely written off Williams for a weird 2024 season that was by no means his own fault.
Chargers rookie to watch: RB Omarion Hampton
PFF’s analysis: “The Chargers addressed their struggling rushing attack this offseason by signing Najee Harris and drafting Hampton in the first round. The latter produced 90.0-plus PFF rushing grades in each of the past two seasons at North Carolina and racked up 2,330 rushing yards after contact during that stretch, ranking second only to Ashton Jeanty.”
Our analysis: I’m so incredibly excited to watch Hampton on the field this year for the Chargers. At the same time, I’d be wrong to say I’m not suffering from a little PTSD in regards to how the last first-round running back by the Chargers came and went. During Melvin Gordon’s rookie year, he failed to find the end zone entirely. Now THAT was fluky and I highly doubt anything like that will happen with Hampton, but the residuals remain nonetheless.
Only time will tell exactly how these two backs will split carries. There are only so many to go around and there will be even fewer if the offense, as a whole, can’t move the ball efficiently enough to stay on the field for extended periods of time. And let’s be honest, if the Chargers can’t consistently convert on third-and-short behind the power of both Harris and Hampton, then they’ve got much bigger things to worry about.