Stacked

The Chargers are stacked and have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL. Here are my predictions/concerns going into the season.

Offense
Nick Hardwick's absence will be noticeable. As the center, Hardwick is responsible for giving the line calls and blocking assignments/adjustments to the offensive line. Without him their play will suffer, how much has yet to be determined.

This year the offense is going to pass more. A lot more. Chambers and Jackson are going to catch more balls and as a result the offense is going to be much more balanced. Rivers is going to have a great season. He will be a top 10 Fantasy Quarterback.

Jacob Hester will be somewhat ineffective. On 3rd and 1, I'm giving it to Tolbert. The undrafted rookie FB.

Darren Sproles is a play-maker and this year he gets his chance to shine. I've always liked Sproles, but he is quickly becoming my favorite player. The man is a 5ft. 6in. beast!

Gatesy's toe will be fine.

Defense
Jamal Williams is and has been the most important defensive player. His health will determine how much success the defense will have. He is getting old and his knees are giving out. Finding a suitable replacement for him should be the team's top priority next off-season. If his knees start acting up you can expect the Charger's run-defense to suffer.

The weakest link on the roster is at middle linebacker, especially Matt Wilhelm. If he does not have a productive season he will not be a Charger for much longer. Our MLB's have very poor pass coverage and are only average against the run. They are especially vulnerable against pass-catching tight ends. Luckily, Cason the rookie will step in on passing situations (Nickel and Dime packages) and should help bolster pass-coverage over the middle.

If Shawne Merriman is unable to play he is not going to be missed as much as most people think. Although Jyles Tucker isn't the complete player that Merriman is, he is a fierce pass rusher and should prove to be a disruptive force in the backfield.

This is the year that Shaun Phillips emerges as a playmaker and is recognized as an All-Pro OLB.

The team leader in interceptions will be either Hart or Weddle, not Cromartie. The most consistent player in the secondary with be Quentin Jammer.

Outlook
The Chargers are going to finish 13-3 or better. Their most difficult games are not against NE or IND, but the games week 7 - week 11.

Week 7: @ BUF
Week 8: @ NO (London)
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: KC @ Home
Week 11: @ PIT

The Bolts don't play well on the East Coast so I can see them losing a game or two during that stretch. Also the bolts usually split the division series with KC every year, and playing at Arrowhead is always a challenge. If the team can stay healthy and avoid injures they will be in Tampa six months from now.