The Chargers enter Week 17 with nothing to play for. With a handful of starters expected to miss the season finale, this should be a chance for some players to take on a bigger role on game day.
With that being said, here are six players that can help themselves with good performances against the Chiefs:
FS Nasir Adderley
The Chargers drafted Adderley in the second-round of the 2019 NFL draft with the hopes of pairing him with Derwin James to create a dynamic safety tandem. Unfortunately, Adderley’s rookie season was short-lived as a hamstring injury kept him out for the majority of the season. Fast forward to this season, his sophomore season hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Adderley’s coverage skills have been lackluster (41.5 overall, per Pro Football Focus) and he has experienced a handful of missed tackles. He will have the opportunity to clean some of that up in the season finale.
RB Joshua Kelley
Despite having other positional needs heading into Day 3 of the draft in 2020, Los Angeles elected to roll the dice on a running back to compliment Austin Ekeler. I was a believer that Kelley was bound to have a big season, given his production in college and the traits he possessed. The former UCLA product flashed in the season opener, but he’s been quiet since then, averaging only 3.2 yards per carry in over 100 attempts. Kelley, who was a healthy scratch last week, is expected to play on Sunday. This will be his opportunity to show that he can be counted on in the rotation next season.
DT Jerry Tillery
The Chargers drafted Tillery in the first-round of the 2019 NFL draft, hoping that he would be a dominant interior pass rusher. Tillery flashed here and there in his rookie season, but he was given a pass because he didn’t have a full offseason to prepare since he was recovering from a shoulder injury. Tillery made a statement in the season opener of Year 2, looking like an absolute force. However, since then, he still hasn’t come into his own. Tillery has committed a slew of unnecessary penalties and has backfield presence has been hit or miss. The team has experimented with him as an edge rusher, where he might have a better future since he hasn’t been stout against the run. Can he give fans a glimpse of dominance on Sunday?
OL Sam Tevi, Dan Feeney, Forrest Lamp
All three of these offensive linemen will be free agents at the end of the season. After making the switch from the right side to the left side, Tevi has proven to be fine. He’s serviceable, but I believe the Chargers need a cornerstone left tackle. Lamp shined early on, but has been inconsistent down the stretch, with the majority of his woes occurring in pass protection. Like Lamp, Feeney was solid in the early stages of the season, but he slowly regressed. Feeney dealt with elbow and knee injuries, which could’ve hindered his play. Regardless, this will be the trio’s last shot to prove themselves.