Tag: Bobby Holly

Chargers FB Gabe Nabers making early impression in training camp

The fullback position is up for grabs.

A position for the Chargers that is up for grabs is the starting fullback spot after Derek Watt signed with the Steelers earlier this offseason.

Los Angeles brought in two undrafted free agents to compete for the job, and there is one that’s already stealing the spotlight as the team is in the midst of training camp.

Former Florida State product Gabe Nabers has made a positive early impression on coach Anthony Lynn.

“He is an H-back, fullback out of Florida State, and he looks really impressive,” said Lynn. If you are walking out of the door and picking teams, you pick Gabe. He looks pretty good.”

Nabers is a bit of a jack of all trades, having experience at both fullback and tight end. He blocks well, runs solid routes and has good hands – the versatility needed to do more. He finished his collegiate career with 19 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

His competition, Bobby Holly, blocks extremely well, but he doesn’t offer the same kind of athletic skillset that Nabers does.

In this league nowadays, there’s more to the fullback name now than there used to be.

Rather than being stuck in the backfield all the time, fullbacks are now motioned wide, where they can run routes as a slot, hybrid type of player, as well as their normal responsibilities of sitting back in the backfield, leading the way for running backs and picking up blitzes.

It’s a good indicator for a player that’s vying for a roster spot when they get high praise from their head coach. It’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the competition unfolds.

Projecting the Chargers’ post-draft depth chart at running back

Austin Ekeler is RB1. Then who?

The marriage between the Chargers and Melvin Gordon came to an end earlier this offseason as the franchise chose not to re-sign him. Gordon won’t be too far from his former team since he was picked up by AFC West rival – Denver Broncos.

How will the backfield look heading into this upcoming season?

Below, I take a crack at predicting Los Angeles’ depth chart at running back for the 2020 season:

RB1: Austin Ekeler

From undrafted free agent to one of the league’s most dynamic weapons. Ekeler is coming off his best season, which included 92 catches for 993 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Only Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey had more receptions (116) among running backs. After Gordon’s departure, the former Western Colorado sits atop of the depth chart. Ekeler will get a decent amount of carries, but the coaching staff still wants to use his pass-catching abilities, which will see him line up in the slot and outside aside from just the backfield.

RB2: Justin Jackson

The second running back spot is where it becomes interesting. This will be a competition between Jackson and fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley. The former Northwestern product gets the nod heading into the season, given his experience, production in a limited capacity and the fact that the team is still “high on him”. In 20 games played, Jackson averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 79 touches. Eager to make his mark last season, Jackson was limited to just seven games due to an injury. If he can stay healthy, Jackson is primed for a breakout season.

RB3: Joshua Kelley

Kelley is capable of rising up the depth chart as the season goes on and I am a firm believer that he will. The only reason I have him listed as RB3 is primarily due to the lack of exposure at camp and I believe the coaching staff really covets Jackson despite the injury concerns. However, Kelley has a well-rounded skillset and the production in a significant role to be effective as the feature back down the road. Over 43 games in college, Kelley rushed 647 times for 3,442 yards and 31 touchdowns. His injury history is nonexistent, too.

FB: Bobby Holly

The Chargers lost Derek Watt, who signed with the Steelers earlier this offseason. Following his departure, coach Anthony Lynn said that the team would be bringing in a fullback to fill the void. The competition to do so will be between Holly and Gabe Nabers. I recently gave Nabers the nod over Holly due to positional versatility. But I believe that Holly brings more upside as a blocker.