Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Chargers’ fourth-round pick is a healthy scratch.
The Los Angeles Chargers are set to play host to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14 of the regular season.
Here is a look at their inactives today:
QB Easton Stick
WR Joe Reed
RB Joshua Kelley
RB Troymaine Pope
LB Denzel Perryman
OT Tyree St. Louis
The Los Angeles Chargers activated two linebackers.
The Chargers made a few roster moves ahead of their Week 13 bout against the Patriots.
Los Angeles activated linebacker Asmar Bilal from the injured reserve and activated LB Cole Christiansen and nose tackle Breiden Fehoko from the practice squad.
With LB Denzel Perryman doubtful and Kyzir White still on the COVID-19 list, Bilal and Christiansen fill in for tomorrow’s contest. Earlier, coach Anthony Lynn said Christiansen and Nick Vigil could be the guys called upon.
Running back Troymaine Pope was added to the injury report with a neck injury and is questionable. Assistant Defensive Line Coach La’Roi Glover will be unavailable for Sunday’s contest. The reason for Glover’s unavailability remains to be seen.
The Los Angeles Chargers could be getting a key piece of their offense back in the coming weeks.
The Chargers have been without running back Austin Ekeler, a vital piece to their offense, since Week 4 after he suffered a hyperextended knee and hamstring injury which forced him to be placed on the injured reserve.
However, Los Angeles might not be without him for much longer.
Ekeler went to his personal Twitter account to post a video of him running at practice and said “to all my fantasy owners who didn’t drop me…the time draws near.”
To all my fantasy owners that didn’t drop me… the time draws near 💀 pic.twitter.com/ij9QAW45gj
— Austin Ekeler (@AustinEkeler) November 13, 2020
Prior to that, Ekeler hinted on his personal Twitch account that he had his eyes set on a Week 13 return against the Patriots.
Since Ekeler has been out, L.A. has been rolling with a committee backfield, which has consisted of Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley, Troymaine Pope and Kalen Ballage.
That’s how it’ll be again, at least for this upcoming Sunday against the Dolphins. When Ekeler comes back, he will resume his duties as the No. 1 running back, supplying the team with a threat on the ground and through the air.
Players that were promoted from the practice squad have been the bright spots of the backfield for the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers backfield took a hit when running back Austin Ekeler had to be placed on the injured reserve back in early October with a hamstring injury and hyperextended knee.
Following Ekeler’s absence, the running game slowed down a bit after being among the league’s best. But in the past two contests, the unit has found some success.
Los Angeles has tallied 210 and 128 yards respectively. But the standout performers haven’t been those of the name Justin Jackson or Joshua Kelley.
Last week, Kalen Ballage shined with a team-high 69 rushing yards against the Raiders. The week before that, Troymaine Pope was the surprise standout with 67 rushing yards against the Broncos.
Both Ballage and Pope were promoted from the practice day the prior to their standout outings.
Jackson has done some promising things on the ground, but that’s when he’s on the field. The third-year back has missed two games this season, including the one in Week 9, after missing nine last year.
Meanwhile, Kelley, the fourth-round pick, is still throwing to find a rhythm. The former UCLA product is averaging 3.2 yards per carry and has yet to find the end zone since Week 1.
L.A. will look to continue to compliment their thriving passing attack with a steadily progressing running game by riding the hot hand until Ekeler is back from his injury.
The Los Angeles Chargers will be without a key defensive lineman, but they could be getting a key offensive lineman back.
The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the Week 9 battle with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Here is a look at the report:
DOUBTFUL
Joey Bosa
Troymaine Pope
QUESTIONABLE
DE Isaac Rochell
RG Trai Turner
S Jahleel Addae
CB Brandon Facyson
CB Casey Hayward
It’s most likely that the Chargers will be without defensive end Joey Bosa, who is doubtful with a concussion. Bosa left last Sunday’s game against the Broncos to undergo an evaluation after sustaining a head injury.
With Bosa likely out, Isaac Rochell will see his playing time increase. Uchenna Nwosu should see an uptick in snaps, as well.
Cornerback Casey Hayward is questionable due to a non-injury related reason. Coach Anthony Lynn said Hayward’s absence is a “fluid situation.” He wouldn’t elaborate much further on that.
Other notables include quarterback Tyrod Taylor being active as the team’s backup. Taylor hasn’t played since Week 1 after sustaining a punctured lung prior to the Week 2 matchup against the Chiefs.
Along with that, guard Trai Turner is trending in a positive direction towards playing this weekend. Turner, who hasn’t played since Week 2, was limited in Friday’s practice. Lynn said he has been getting better everyday.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
| SUNDAY SALUTES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks | Pass-Rush | TD |
| Patrick Mahomes | 416-0 | 5 |
| Russell Wilson | 261-23 | 4 |
| Matthew Stafford | 336-10 | 3 |
| Justin Herbert | 278-21 | 3 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 291-9 | 3 |
| Running Backs | Rush Receive |
TD |
| Dalvin Cook | 30-163 2-63 |
4 |
| Alvin Kamara | 12-67 9-96 |
0 |
| DeeJay Dallas | 18-41 5-17 |
2 |
| Giovani Bernard | 15-62 3-16 |
2 |
| Nyheim Hines | 5-8 3-54 |
2 |
| Wide Receivers | Yards | TD |
| DK Metcalf | 12-161 | 2 |
| Davante Adams | 7-53 | 3 |
| Robert Woods | 7-94 | 2 |
| Corey Davis | 8-128 | 1 |
| Tyreek Hill | 4-98 | 2 |
| Tight Ends | Yards | TD |
| Travis Kelce | 8-109 | 1 |
| Jared Cook | 5-51 | 1 |
| Eric Ebron | 4-48 | 1 |
| Jack Doyle | 2-18 | 1 |
| Ross Dwelley | 16 | 1 |
| Placekickers | XP | FG |
| Mike Badgley | 3 | 3 |
| Will Lutz | 2 | 4 |
| Cairo Santos | 2 | 3 |
| Younghoe Koo | 1 | 4 |
| Sergio Castillo | 0 | 3 |
| Defense | Sck-TO | TD |
| Dolphins | 2-4 | 2 |
| Steelers | 4-4 | 1 |
| Colts | 5-2 | 1 |
| Eagles | 4-2 | 1 |
| Seahawks | 3-2 | 0 |
WR Adam Humphries – Concussion
WR T.Y. Hilton – Groin
WR Kenny Golladay – Hip
RB Darrell Henderson – Thigh
RB Tevin Coleman – Knee
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Ankle
TE George Kittle – Foot
Chasing Ambulances
Nothing seemed too serious this week. although Monday checkups can surprise.
RB Tevin Coleman – Left in the first quarter and never returned when he re-injured the same knee that held him out for most of the year. Raheem Mostert is on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. Jerick McKinnon suffers from “tired legs” and only had three carries in the loss. James Hasty is still the only healthy man standing. He only carried 12 times in Seattle but scored once and the 49ers abandoned the run.
TE George Kittle – Left the game with an ankle injury. If he cannot play, HC Kyle Shanahan said that Jordan Reed is expected back this week and would take his place again.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – Hobbled by his ankle again, he gave way to Nick Mullens who was sharp with 238 yards and two scores against a defense that had stopped caring. Hosting the Packers this week isn’t that attractive if Mullens gets the start.
RB Darrell Henderson – Injured his thigh at the start of the second quarter after running for 47 yards on eight carries. Malcolm Brown (10-40) and Cam Akers (9-35) shared the workload for the rest of the game. The Rams head onto their bye, so Henderson likely has time to heal unless the injury is worse than expected.
WR Kenny Golladay – Injured his hip and left without a catch in the loss to the Colts. Marvin Jones only caught three passes for 39 yards but two were touchdowns. Marvin Hall replaced Golladay with four receptions for 113 yards thanks mostly to a 73-yard catch.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QB Philip Rivers – After posting only four touchdowns over his first five starts, Rivers has thrown for three touchdowns in each of the last two weeks. He finished with 262 yards and three scores at the Lions this week and heads to Minnesota this week.
Chargers backfield – The committee approach now includes three running backs – Justin Jackson (17-89), Troymaine Pope (10-67), and Joshua Kelley (7-32). Austin Ekeler is expected to be back in Week 10 at Miami but this week hosting the Raiders will again use all three backs. Jackson is the only safe start with the most usage. Pope only had one carry on the year until showing up on Sunday. In the end, they probably have just one more week before Ekeler takes most of the workload back.
QB Drew Lock – He threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Chargers though all three scores happened in the fourth quarter. It’s likely just a blip on his season, but the Broncos will face the Falcons this week.
RB Jordan Wilkins – He only had one carry in the two games prior to Sunday, so it was a surprise to see him lead the Colts with 20 runs for 89 yards and a touchdown plus catch a 24-yard pass. Jonathan Taylor was limited to 11 carries for only 22 yards in that game. Wilkins provided the hot hand and took over the game in the second half, helping the Colts to their win over the Lions. Taylor remains the starter but the team won’t be shy about giving Wilkins a chance to contribute if Taylor is struggling.
Ravens backfield – Mark Ingram missed Week 8 with an ankle injury and never practiced despite coming off their bye. Facing a Steelers defense that allowed just 68.8 rushing yards per game, the Ravens used Gus Edwards (16-87, TD) and JK Dobbins (15-113) with great success even in a loss. The Ravens play at the Colts this week but Edwards and Dobbins are pairing for much better production than the average backfield.
RB Giovani Bernard – He has minimal involvement while Joe Mixon is healthy, but starting for the last two weeks, he’s been productive. After totaling 96 yards and a touchdown against the Browns in Week 7, Bernard ran for 62 yards and a score versus the Titans and caught three passes for 16 yards and another touchdown. The Bengals head onto their bye and Mixon should be back for Week 10, but Bernard was a big part of the Bengals win over the Titans.
WR Jarvis Landry – It was very windy and rained in the Browns loss to the Raiders. Baker Mayfield only completed 12-of-25 for 122 yards in that contest but Landry dominated the throws with 11 targets and four receptions for 52 yards. No other receiver was thrown more than three passes and this was the first game without Odell Beckham. It was a bad weather game, so it’s harder to draw conclusions, but Rashard Higgins (1-14) did little to replace Beckham.
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire – The rookie is now splitting the carries and catches with Le’Veon Bell. The impact was softened when Edwards-Helaire ran in a score in Week 7, and his eight runs for 46 yards were matched with six runs for 39 yards from Bell. Against the Jets – who Bell would have a chip on his shoulder about – the rookie only ran for 21 yards on six runs while Bell gained seven yards on six carries as well. Both had three catches. This is nothing but a negative for Edwards-Helaire and yet not enough so far to justify a fantasy start for Bell.
QB Tua Tagovailoa – The No. 2 overall draft pick debuted with a win over the Rams though he was mostly there while it happened, rather than being an instrumental part. The rookie only completed 12-of-22 passes for 93 yards and one touchdown while running twice for a net of no yards. He’ll need to do more this week in Arizona.
RB DeeJay Dallas – The rookie from Miami ran for 41 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries plus caught five passes for 17 yards and another score in the win over the 49ers. Chris Carson was a game-time decision that was inactive, but chances are that he’ll be active for this week at the Bills. But Dallas’ only start resulted in two touchdowns.
WR Jalen Reagor – The Eagles 1.21 pick returned after missing five games with a thumb injury and caught his first NFL touchdown when he ended with three receptions for 16 yards in the win over the Cowboys. He also gained six yards on his first NFL run. Travis Fulgham (6-78, TD) remains the primary wideout but Reagor is getting back on track.
TE Dallas Goedert – The Eagles tight end was active this week after coming off injured reserve but only caught one pass for 15 yards. It was only his first game since Week 3 but he was quiet in the two games after his productive season opener. The Eagles may finally be turning away from being a tight-end heavy attack to using their wideouts more.
RB Zack Moss – He’s starting to look more like Devin Singletary of last year. In 2019, Frank Gore would typically get the highest number of carries even though Singletary would do much more with his fewer touches. Now, Singletary is the less productive runner and Moss was finally given the same 14 rushes that Singletary had in the win over the Patriots. Singletary ran for 86 yards on 14 carries while Moss gained 82 yards on his 14 runs and scored his first two rushing touchdowns in the NFL. This is a committee backfield but Moss is getting a bigger share of the workload.
Huddle player of the week
Dalvin Cook – The Packers had no answer for Dalvin Cook who rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and added a 50-yard score on his two receptions for 63 yards as the leading receiver as well. The Packers kept the game close enough that the Vikings never bothered to let the other backs handle the fourth-quarter mop-up duty. Cook cranked out 48.6 fantasy points in a PPR league and 46.6 without receptions points.
Salute!
| Comedy | Yards | TDs | Tragedy | Yards | TDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Philip Rivers | 262 | 3 | QB | Josh Allen | 177 | 1 |
| RB | Nyheim Hines | 62 | 2 | RB | Johnathan Taylor | 31 | 0 |
| RB | DeeJay Dallas | 58 | 2 | RB | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | 31 | 0 |
| WR | Corey Davis | 128 | 1 | WR | Kenny Golladay | 0 | 0 |
| WR | Mecole Hardman | 96 | 1 | WR | Diontae Johnson | 6 | 0 |
| WR | Marvin Jones | 39 | 2 | WR | Calvin Ridley | 42 | 0 |
| TE | Eric Ebron | 48 | 1 | TE | George Kittle | 39 | 0 |
| PK | Mike Badgley | 3XP 3 FG | PK | Robbie Gould | 3 XP | ||
| Huddle Fantasy Points = 143 | Huddle Fantasy Points = 28 | ||||||
Now get back to work…
The Chargers made a few moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.
The Chargers made a few roster moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.
Los Angeles signed running back Troymaine Pope and offensive lineman Cole Toner to the active roster. In addition, the team activated tackle Trey Pipkins from Reserve/COVID-19 list and wide receiver Jason Moore from the practice squad.
To fill Moore’s spot on the practice squad, L.A. signed tight end Matt Sokol.
Coach Anthony Lynn said that there was a chance that Pipkins could still play, despite being on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. He will start at right tackle if Bryan Bulaga is inactive.
Lynn mentioned that either Toner or Scott Quessenberry will start at right guard since Trai Turner remains out and Ryan Groy was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Los Angeles Chargers added two players to the active roster ahead of the matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
The Los Angeles Chargers announced Monday that they have elevated edge defender Joe Gaziano and running back Troymaine Pope to the active roster ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
EDGE Joey Bosa is currently questionable with ankle, triceps and knee injuries. Gaziano, the undrafted rookie out of Northwestern, is capable of filling in as a base defensive end.
Gaziano finished his collegiate career with 152 tackles, 49 tackles for loss, 30 sacks, 15 passes defensed and 10 forced fumbles.
Pope was added as the third running back behind Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley. Star RB Austin Ekeler was placed on the injured reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury in last weekend’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
