The Los Angeles Chargers, finally, got a positive injury break heading into their Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Ladd McConkey, who's been limited for much of this season with both a chest and a foot injury, was cleared from the injury report, as was Quentin Johnston—who missed last week's matchup with a chest injury.
Needless to say, things haven't looked great even with most of the receiving corps in the fold. The pass catchers apart from McConkey have struggled to get open consistently, and the timing and connectedness required to make a scheme like Mike McDaniel's work simply hasn't been present in this unit on a consistent basis. Whether that's on the receivers or McDaniel for failing to make adjustments, it's the reality of the Los Angeles offense as it enters Week 6 with an 0-5 record.
It couldn't all be good tidings for the Chargers of course, when it comes to the injury report. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater are both still out, as are Donte Jackson and Derwin James Jr.
But it's important to note as well that Tre' Harris, who was listed as week-to-week after suffering a hamstring injury last week against the Denver Broncos, has been ruled out for this Kansas City matchup. If there's one thing we've learned so far this season, it's that the Chargers need all hands on deck in the passing game if they're going to be able to find any serious momentum.
The Chargers need their receiving corps to be whole again before an offensive turnaround is truly possible
This is not to understate the importance of McConkey's return to action. With the departure of Keenan Allen this offseason, he seems to be Justin Herbert's most trusted target, and anything the Chargers are able to get going through the air is going to start with McConkey's YAC-centered abilities operating out of the slot. Across four games (three of which he was highly limited for), McConkey still managed to post 12 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown.
Johnston's return, meanwhile, may represent everything or nothing for Los Angeles. He's struggled to gain separation in the deeper parts of the field so far this season, and when the ball has found him, he's often failed to make contested catches or hang on through contact. He's posted just seven receptions for 108 yards through four games this season.
No matter what, having McConkey and Johnston running routes is far preferable to Marques Valdez-Scantling and Theo Wease Jr.
But McDaniel's passing attack, more than anything else, depends on the abilities of receivers like Johnston and Harris to not only open up explosive-play opportunities with their speed and catch-point skills but also help carve out space against opposing coverages for McConkey to do his damage underneath on a down-to-down basis. With Harris out for this matchup, that onus will fall solely upon Johnston.
Notably, rookie receiver Brenen Thompson—who hasn't played since Week 2 with a quadricep injury—is listed as questionable heading into this matchup. He didn't have a full practice this week, so it's hard to see him suiting up in anything more than a limited capacity against Kansas City. But when he is active again, his speed and soft hands on quick-timing routes may very well represent another boon to this Chargers passing game. KeAndre Lambert-Smith is questionable as well for this matchup.
There's plenty of room to criticize the way in which Los Angeles has approached its wide receiver room over the past couple of seasons. But the implementation of McDaniel's scheme in Los Angeles depends on the skill sets of each of these receivers complementing each other on a game-to-game basis.
In that light, it doesn't seem like simply the returns of McConkey and Johnston alone will be enough to help right this ship. This team needs its full complement of receivers if they want to realize any hopes of a dramatic offensive turnaround—as unlikely as that seems at this point in the season.
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