Ladd McConkey just proved what Chargers fans knew all along

As the Los Angeles Chargers' season has progressed, the rapid ascendance of Quentin Johnston, coupled with the relative lack of production from second-year receiver Ladd McConkey, has left quite a few people around the league surprised.

Yet, as McConkey rebounded against the Miami Dolphins in Week 6 with Quentin Johnston sitting out of the ball game, he reasserted his role as the team's top receiver, reaffirming what Chargers fans knew all along even as fans around the league doubted McConkey's efficacy as a receiver.

While, through the first five games of the season, McConkey had been relatively inconsistent in his production, a massive day, and a victory for Los Angeles, should be enough to get his season back on track.

Ladd McConkey is still the most dynamic receiver on the team

Coming off of a rookie season in which he garnered well over 1,000 receiving yards and averaged 14 yards per reception, expectations were high for McConkey in year two. Yet, the receiver that truly ascended, much to the surprise of many fans, was Johnston, who averaged 75.4 yards per game in his first five outings of the season.

Suddenly, Johnston was exhibiting the entirety of the skill-set that fans of Los Angeles had been hoping for since the start of his career. He was gaining separation with relative ease and making contested catches both downfield and on quicker routes in the middle of the field, quickly beginning to look like the top option for Justin Herbert.

Yet, with Johnston nursing a hamstring issue in Week 6, McConkey had something to say about that. To cap off a seven reception, 100-yard performance, McConkey made himself open on a desperate Herbert scramble to save the game, getting enough yards after the catch to put the Chargers within easy field-goal range:

Nevertheless, the point is not to pit McConkey against Johnston. Both are great receivers with different skill-sets, and, if both can be active and energized at the same time, they could elevate Los Angeles's offense to another echelon.

Instead, McConkey's performance serves a sort of indirect reponse to fans around the league, and especially fantasy football players, who began to sour on McConkey after a couple of underwhelming performances and a smattering of, admittedly concerning, drops.

Yet, Chargers fans have known all along how special McConkey is, and, although it took Johnston's absence to allow him to return to form, hopefully both can continue to make the explosive plays we have become accustomed to seeing.