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The Chargers’ savior from Monday night has been rewarded.
Following a 4-for-4 field goal performance in primetime as he struggled through a hamstring injury, kicker Dustin Hopkins was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Hopkins made all five of his kicks: an extra point, on which he injured the hamstring, and field goals of 37, 31, 35, and 39 yards to lift Los Angeles over Denver, 19-16 in overtime.
It’s bittersweet for Hopkins and the Chargers, as the announcement comes after the team revealed he will miss the next 2-4 weeks with the hamstring injury. In his stead, Taylor Bertolet will likely serve as the new kicker. Bertolet filled in for Hopkins in Week 5 when the veteran was forced to miss the game with a quad injury.
The 30-year-old stayed on the practice squad this week as a precaution that the team now likely views as a lucky break. Bertolet has two possible standard elevations from the practice squad remaining, which should get LA through the next three weeks since their bye is coming up after this week’s game with the Seahawks.
If all goes according to plan, this could prevent them from using an additional active roster spot on Bertolet while Hopkins recovers.
Hopkins is the first Charger to be named an AFC Player of the Week this season after Justin Herbert was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times in 2021.