Chargers Open at No. 6 in SI.com’s Power Rankings

The Chargers crack the top 10 in SI.com's first power ranking release of the season.

Every NFL team will take the field this week entering their season opener with a 0-0 record. The slate is clean for any franchise to make a run, though some are more likely to do so than others.

Sports Illustrated's MMQB released its power rankings entering Week 1, and you don't have to look far to find the placement of the Los Angeles Chargers.

The MMQB staff has the Chargers ranked No. 6 to open the 2022 NFL season. The Chargers received a vote as high as the top spot, while their lowest vote in the poll placed them at No. 12.

The Chargers returned nearly their entire offense from a season ago that finished as a top five unit. The only newcomer on offense that's expected to play a significant role who wasn't with the team last year is first-round pick Zion Johnson, who will pencil in at right guard. Trey Pipkins, who made just two starts last season, has won the starting right tackle job, so the right side of the offensive line will look quite different.

On the defensive side of the ball there's been a lot of turnover this offseason. The defense could see as many as six new starters – many of which have played in Brandon Staley's scheme once before.

After finishing bottom three in stopping the run in 2021, the additions of Khalil Mack, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson figure to elevate the Chargers' run defense dramatically with a new-look defensive line.

And for the third phase, on special teams, the Chargers brought in new coordinator Ryan Ficken from the Minnesota Vikings. The Chargers also onboarded return man DeAndre Carter, punker JK Scott and long snapper Josh Harris.

The Chargers' kick and punt coverage team will be a wait-and-see operation until it becomes clear what kind of unit they truly are. In the second preseason game against the Cowboys, they allowed a 98-yard kick return and a 86-yard punt return both go for a touchdown.

With so many new faces on the Chargers roster, that doesn't come without some level of uncertainty. But factoring in the pure talent that they possess, the Chargers look poised for a strong season, and the ranking of No. 6 indicates just how far they've come from last year when they were knocked out of the playoff picture by the Raiders in an overtime Week 18 loss.

The Chargers will seek redemption to start the 2022 campaign as they'll host the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 11 with kickoff set for 1:25 p.m. PT.

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.