The Chargers had a lot of star power that made their presences known consistently, but there were a few players whose contributions did not receive the recognition they deserved.
With that being said, here are three players who flew under the radar in 2021:
TE Stephen Anderson
Jared Cook and Donald Parham spotlighted the tight end room. But the unsung hero of the group was Anderson. While he made the most of his opportunities in the passing game – catching 16 of his 19 targets for 165 yards and a touchdown – what stood out the most that may have gone unrecognized was his work as a blocker. Anderson helped open up holes in the run game as a lead blocker and in pass protection.
LB Nick Niemann
The Chargers’ middle-of-the-pack special teams did not have a lot of veterans, and instead, they rolled with their rookie class as the main core. Among the crop, it was Niemann who ended up being a bright spot, finishing with 14 special teams tackles on coverage units, which tied for fourth-most in the NFL.
DT Breiden Fehoko
It was no surprise that the Chargers’ weakness was defending the run. They did not have the talent with their starters to consistently hold their own in this department. However, Fehoko made an impact in the trenches in his limited opportunities. On 65 run snaps, he had a stop percentage of 16.1, which ranked fourth, according to Pro Football Focus.