Subscribe
Follow Us
The Los Angeles Chargers have a new coach, a healthy quarterback, and high expectations for 2024. With Jim Harbaugh in the fold, Justin Herbert should take a big step forward. Ahead of their Week 1 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, we'll be making some 2024 bold predictions for the Chargers.
Last year was a disastrous campaign for Justin Herbert and the Bolts. The quarterback played only 13 games, missing four contests with a hand fracture. Backup Easton Stick proved he cannot get them into the playoffs, doing so again in the preseason. The number one priority for Harbaugh and the Chargers is to keep their quarterback healthy.
They stayed true to that in the draft, taking tackle Joe Alt out of Notre Dame with the fifth overall pick. How can he help stabilize their questionable line and help their running game grow? Will the Chargers make the playoffs after a five-win season last year? Let's move on to the Chargers 2024 predictions.
Chargers make playoffs as top AFC Wild Card
The AFC West will be very difficult to win this year for the Chargers. With the Chiefs looking to finish off a three-peat of Super Bowls, they are the prohibitive favorite to win the division. That puts them in a large group of AFC teams that are looking for a Wild Card spot. Only one of the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets can win the East, the Ravens and Bengals will take one of the spots, and the Jaguars and Colts could grab one as well.
The Chargers will be the best team in that group. With a fourth-place schedule and a revamped offensive group, they can pick up 11 wins and nab the fifth seed in the conference. They have not won a playoff game since 2018 when they beat the Ravens in the Wild Card game. Since then, they've only made the playoffs once and blew a 27-point lead to the Jaguars.
Herbert's health is a key component of this. He is fully recovered from the plantar fascia injury he suffered during training camp. Alt must come into the league as a top-notch left tackle to keep the quarterback upright and keep the running game active. With Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins in town, they have an opportunity to build a good running game that helps Herbert remain healthy.
Justin Herbert will pass for 4,750 yards
Article Continues Below
The key to the Chargers is the passing game. With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams out, the wide receiver room is missing a bonafide star. Herbert must move the ball around to Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and tight end Will Dissly. That will lead to the quarterback racking up the second-most yards in his young career with 4,750.
Herbert's one season above that was his second season, where he threw for 5,014 yards in 17 starts. That season ended with the Chargers missing the playoffs, but the defense and coaching are better this season. These types of seasons are what Herbert's defenders will cite when saying that he is a franchise quarterback. While he has dealt with injuries since then, he can get back to that level.
With no Williams or Allen, he won't reach the 5,000-yard mark that he did back in 2021. The Chargers will still have a great season offensively and these gaudy passing numbers will get Herbert into the top ten of MVP voting. He last got a vote in 2022, when he finished ninth before the loss to the Jaguars in the playoffs.
Ladd McConkey will finish top five in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting
One of the wide receivers in the Chargers' room must step up this season. They drafted slot man Ladd McConkey out of Georgia in the second round and he will become that guy this season. With several quarterbacks expected to take off in their first year, he will likely not win but will place in the top five. Expect a 1,000-yard season from the rookie and Herbert to have a new favorite target by the time Week 5 rolls around.
McConkey is the fifth wide receiver on the Offensive Rookie of the Year odds leaderboard. He falls behind Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Xavier Worthy, and Keon Coleman on the odds, ranging anywhere from +3000 to +4000 depending on the sportsbook. While Worthy is catching passes from Patrick Mahomes and Coleman is from Josh Allen, they do not have number-one potential. McConkey has both a great quarterback and the potential for a high target share.
The Chargers are set for a bounce-back season with proven winner Jim Harbaugh as head coach. The offense will have a resurgent year and bring the Chargers to the playoffs in 2024.
