Chargers Listed As 'Overlooked' Team Heading Into New Season

The Los Angeles Chargers are listed as one of the five ‘overlooked’ teams heading into the 2024 season.

May 29, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh during organized team activities at Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Chargers will look to enter the 2024 season with a vengeance. After a disappointing 2023 season, L.A. will look for a turnaround; however, on paper, that seems like an impossible task. The Chargers lost many of their key players, especially on the offensive side. They no longer have Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, two of the most dynamic wide receivers, and are without their dynamic running back, Austin Ekeler. 

While the Chargers may have lost some firepower, they are not devoid of potential. The new players, who are expected to align with Jim Harbaugh's brand of football, bring a different kind of strength to the team. They may not be as flashy, but if they can execute Harbaugh's game plan, they could transform this team into a formidable force. This potential is why the Chargers are one of five teams listed as an 'overlooked' team, according to PFF's Gordon McGuinness. 

"Every AFC West team that is not the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs is going to be somewhat overlooked at this point of the year, so it's not a huge shock to see the Chargers tied for the 18th-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +5000," said McGuinness. "However, they are still a team with a top-10 quarterback, and they now have a head coach who knows what it takes to get to the Super Bowl.

Justin Herbert earned an 83.1 passing grade a season ago, 10th in the NFL and the second-highest mark of his career so far. Through four seasons in the league, he has yet to earn a PFF passing grade below 75.0.

While Herbert did lose Keenan Allen and Mike Williams at wide receiver this offseason, the Chargers will expect more out of 2023 first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston, and they also spent an early second-round pick on Georgia's Ladd McConkey."

Outside of Herbetr on the roster, the Chargers don't seem like much of a threat. However, all indications tell us they are a team that can surprise many thanks to coach Harbaugh. His brand of football may not be the sexiest, but it can result in wins, which he has shown at the college and pro levels. 

The Chargers' odds of being successful this season may not be on their side, but the NFL is on a year-to-year basis, and they could surprise many, especially within their division. 

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