Chargers WR Ladd McConkey's SNF performance shows why he belongs in OROY conversation

Ladd McConkey dazzled in the LA Chargers' 34-27 win over the Bengals. In what was arguably his best game, McConkey posted six receptions for 123 yards. On the Chargers' final touchdown drive, the Georgia product secured two big catches that set up an eventual J.K. Dobbins score with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation.

The advanced stats go even further in describing the dominance of McConkey's performance than just the raw numbers. McConkey set career highs in yards per route run (3.73) and average depth of target (15.2). He posted his second-highest PFF offensive grade of the season of 85.7. That figure only trails his effort against New Orleans (87.9).

In his last four games starting from Week 8 against the Saints, McConkey has 19 receptions for 350 yards and two touchdowns. Amongst rookie wideouts for the whole season, McConkey is second in receiving yards to only Jacksonville's Brian Thomas Jr.

All in all, McConkey has had an incredible influence on the defense from the slot and has shown himself to already be one of the league's top route runners. Each game it feels like subtleties in his mechanics continue to improve. If he has the potential to lead rookies in receiving yards by the end of the year. it stands to reason he could be in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation.

Chargers' WR Ladd McConkey belongs in OROY conversations

However, McConkey's odds for the awards aren't great. Washington's Jayden Daniels is still the heavy favorite (-400 at DraftKings) for the award given the season the Commanders are having. Behind names like Marvin Harrison Jr., Brock Bowers, and Malik Nabers, McConkey has the 12th highest OROY odds DraftKings (+10000).

There still is quite a bit of football left to be played. If McConkey was to keep his current pace up from the last four games (87.5 YPG), he'd be projected to finish with 1227 yards in his rookie season.

While the OROY race might be too dominated by quarterbacks for the Chargers' rookie to make a real winning push, getting actual votes as a second-round pick with a loaded first-round group would be quite the accomplishment.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert spoke about McConkey's performance so far this season and what makes him so good at his media availability on Wednesday:

"He runs such great routes and he comes back at such a friendly angle," Herbert explained. "He's never running into danger and he's never running directly into a guy that's going to cover him. He has a great feel for zone and enough shiftiness to be able to beat man coverage [...] When you have a combination like that and a guy that really understands defenses and how people want to play him, he just finds a way to get open."

McConkey will try to use his savviness and technique to further his rookie campaign as he faces Baltimore in another big primetime game on Monday Night Football.