WR D.J. Chark Jr. Listed as Out For Chargers Season Opener vs Raiders

Valentina Martinez | Sep 6, 2024

Jun 13, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal (right) talks with wide receiver Simi Fehoko (87), Joshua Palmer (5), DJ Clark (9) and Ladd McConkey (15) during minicamp at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver D.J. Chark will miss the season opener on Sept. 8 due to a hip injury.

#LVvsLAC game status

QUESTIONABLE — Tarheeb Still, Asante Samuel Jr.

OUT — DJ Chark Jr.

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 6, 2024

The receiver was absent from Thursday's practice for the second straight day.

Chark was a key offseason addition for the Chargers. His six seasons in the NFL brought experience to a receiver room lacking players with more than three years in the league.

The departures of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, and Gerald Everett left the Chargers looking for new offensive weapons.

Chark recorded 35 catches for 525 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Carolina Panthers. His best season was in 2019 when he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He tallied 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight scores which were all career-highs for the receiver.

He earned his first and only Pro Bowl selection in 2019. The Chargers hope Chark can look similar to his 2019 form this year.

The receiver was slated to be one of the main options for Justin Herbert this season. Although rookie Ladd McConkey emerged as the No. 1 receiver in training camp, Chark was projected to be a pivotal playmaker for Los Angeles, but it appears as though his hip injury is rather serious.

In the last five seasons, Chark has played just 54 of 82 games due to a number of injuries.

It's unclear how long the receiver will be out for, but it would certainly be alarming if he were out longer than Week 1.

Chark was a second-round pick selected by the Jaguars in the 2018 NFL draft. Throughout his career in the NFL, Chark has amassed 212 receptions for 3,069 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The 27-year-old is one of the only heavily experienced NFL players in the wide receiver room, but the Chargers will lean on McConkey, Joshua Palmer, and Quentin Johnston against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Bolts also have Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko and Brenden Rice at receiver.

Other players on the injury report included Asante Samuel Jr. He was a limited participant in practice due to a shoulder injury and has been listed as questionable to play. Cornerback Tarheeb Still was listed as questionable with a hip injury.

The Chargers won't be at full form in their season opener, but Los Angeles fans are still eager to witness a new era. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh's first test is essentially a redemption game from last year's 63-21 loss to the Raiders.