Going into the offseason, filling out the wide receiver room was seen as a priority. The Chargers did so by drafting rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill and signing Darius Jennings.
Now that Los Angeles is set at the position with the additional bodies, it’s time to predict how I think the depth chart will shake up heading into the upcoming season.
WR1: Keenan Allen
Allen, arguably one of the league’s route runners and separation gainers, isn’t going to lose his spot as the go-to wideout for the Chargers. The former Cal product finished with 104 receptions for 1,199 yards and six touchdowns. Allen has proven that he can stay durable after a slew of injuries early on in his career. He is tied for sixth with most games with receiving yards since 2017 (12).
WR2: Mike Williams
After being hampered by an injury in his rookie season, Williams has shown flashes of dominance as a jump ball and red zone target. In 2018, the former Clemson product had 10 touchdown receptions. In his third season, his scoring production dropped, but he still managed to top 1,000 receiving yards, while leading the league in 20.4 yards per catch. The team made it clear that he is a priority after having his fifth-year option picked up. If Justin Herbert plays this season, he should have a lot of fun with throwing deep to Williams.
WR3: K.J. Hill
This is where the competition begins. The Chargers have a few that will be in contention for this job, and while each of the newly acquired players bring their own unique skillset, Hill’s is likely to have the most success in the NFL. The team’s seventh-round selection has a knack for getting open and catching everything thrown his way. That’s a large reason why Hill is Ohio State’s reception leader (201), and is a must in the pros. Even though he will be limited to the slot, Allen is capable of playing outside, which will allow them to both be on the field at the same time.
WR4: Joe Reed
Reed will provide some versatility as he has experience out wide, in the slot and occasionally in the backfield. He will be used in sweeps, shovel passes and slants, similar to the role that the 49ers gave Deebo Samuel last season. He could also develop into the deep option, given his speed (4.47), but his route-running needs refinement. Reed should help out with special teams as he averaged 33 yards a return and took two touchdowns to the house. It wouldn’t be surprising if he is the starting kick returner.
WR5: Andre Patton
Patton was the frontrunner to winning the WR3 job entering the offseason after the Chargers released Travis Benjamin, but the acquisitions of Hill and Reed are bound to not make it an easy task for him now. When given the opportunity to step up after injuries hit Benjamin and Geremy Davis, the two-year practice squad member only managed to haul in six passes for 56 yards on 17 targets in 13 games last season.
WR6: Darius Jennings
The special teams department has been a major concern for the Chargers the past few seasons, and it’s clear that they made it a priority to shore up after the acquisitions of Reed and Jennings. Over the last two seasons, he returned 31 kickoffs for 894 yards, including a 94-yarder for a touchdown. Jennings would unlikely see the field on a consistent basis, but having him as insurance on special teams would be a plus (assuming Reed wins the starting job).